Tales of the Incarnus: Earthborn
by Xenome
Summary: The Incarnus, King of Monsters in the Human Realm, summons a child of Earth to the Pokemon World. While her purpose there remains a secret known only to her captors, the young girl must learn to command monsters if she is ever to return home.
1. Ch 1: Beware the Dreams That Come True

_**Tales of the Incarnus:**_

_**Earthborn**_

**~ Chapter 1 ~**

**Beware the Dreams that Come True**

Not an unfortunate child by any means, she knew nothing of true suffering. Of course, to one of only eleven, the inexperienced mind tends to play tricks. Everyone else lived in happiness, and she, with little knowledge of pain, made up her own misery to dwell on. It was very real to her, at least. The onset of puberty exaggerates loneliness and the sensation of not fitting in. It certainly didn't help that, a year ago, her family turned upside down with the birth of a new baby. Now she and her brother felt lost to their parents, as the needs of an infant consumed the lives of the adults. The little girl only wished that life could return to the way it had been. Even moving from state to state was better than becoming insignificant to your family. Perceived insignificance was just as painful as the real thing, and so the young lady often wished that she could escape.

She took frequent walks to the neighborhood park, just to get away and feel the sense of freedom and relief that she so desperately desired. Even fresh air and a cool breeze couldn't chase away her emptiness, though, and on her walks she found that she either let her imagination carry her to places she'd rather be or she steeped in her own misery. Not one to enjoy sorrow, she most often wound up making stories in her mind as she strolled through soft grass, back and forth and over every inch of the playground. It was her favorite thing to do, and today, like on so many others, she let her spirit and mind run free.

She took a seat on the edge of the merry-go-round. The cold metal pressing up under her legs made her shiver, but she remained, curling her fingers around the handrails and staring off across the empty grounds. A misty fog settled, she noticed only now. It smelled damp, but good, and made her think of what an enchanted forest may bear. Scuffing her feet in the soft bark that surrounded the play equipment, she dug a wet little hole and looked down into it. The tops of her shoes were dirty. They'd probably always be dirty if she ran away—nobody except maybe her brother would miss her—and became a wandering vagabond, catching fish in a stream for food and sitting by a warm fire every night, watching shadows dance. How amazing it would be to lie out and watch the fireflies in the grass and trees while the stars above glittered with their own brand of brilliance.

If she brought her dog with her, she'd have a nice, warm pillow. Maybe she could hunt rabbits with her dog's help, and they could eat like kings over a big fat bunny roast. Of course, killing animals appealed very little to her. Maybe just fish then. Yes. Fish. Fish and wild vegetables, tubers and greens, made for a perfect meal, she imagined.

In all of her ruminating, the young girl lost sight of reality and time. Before she knew it, the sky grayed over with thick storm clouds, and the still air cooled almost unbearably. The white mist thickened into a heavy fog. In the far off distance, a low rumble of thunder warned of the slow but certain coming of a storm. The girl snapped out of her reverie, and realized at once that she was terribly cold. Dressed in black shorts and a pink cotton blouse, she was not by any means dressed for the change in weather. Numb in the fingers, she decided it might be better if she started home. Home, lonely as it was, at least provided warmth and protection from the elements. Standing to her feet, the girl moved away from the play equipment and towards the road. She moved with purpose, arms wrapped tightly around herself until she caught a strange movement from the corner of her eye.

Stopping at once, she instinctively looked back across the park into the gray-white fog. Her eyes searched the park, scanning for traces of movement—any hint that her mind hadn't played a trick on her. It didn't take long for her to catch sight of something moving in the mist.

Across the park, skirting the edges of the park's dim, leafless forest, a huge shadow walked, white even amid the fog. Its shape and gait, with the steady rolling of its shoulders suggested that some sort of wolf was casing the area. Wolves and even some bears weren't entirely uncommon to the area, although they avoided the suburbs as much as possible. Even so, the girl knew what she was seeing when she saw it. She'd seen similar animals before. Yet, this creature's sheer size struck some sort of primordial fear inside of her. As far as she knew, wolves didn't get that large. This one looked large enough to take on a bear alone and win. Instinctively, she kept her eye on it, and took a few slow steps back.

The animal stopped walking and its head went up. Unusually long ears crowned its head, standing erect as the beast stared back at her with utter stillness. For a moment, neither of them moved, each regarding the other in silence across the distance. Perhaps the girl's profound understanding of animals and their behavior kept her from retreating. She knew that running often initiated the predatory response from creatures like this, but good instincts did nothing to curb a natural curiosity. For as much as she feared this massive animal, she felt a considerable draw towards it. She felt certain that it was a type of wolf that nobody had ever seen before. She spent countless hours of her young life reading about animals and watching documentaries on TV. Never had she encountered anything like this. If it was an illusive legend, like bigfoot or the Loch Ness Monster, it was worth watching it for awhile just to see what it did.

It started moving away.

One part of the child told her to let it be and just go home. The other part insisted that she follow, at a distance of course, and see where the creature was headed. Giving in almost immediately, she indulged her curiosity and moved across the park, toward the shadows of the bare trunks and limbs keeping their silent vigil over the playground.

The large wolf kept walking away from her, ears turned back in her direction as if it was listening to her approach. It moved only a little faster, but did not run. She found it relatively easy to keep up with, as long as she kept at an easy jog.

Ground changed from cold grass to damp leaf litter that hushed her when she trampled it. A few times, the wolf looked back over its shoulder at her, aware that it was being followed. Every time it turned, she stopped moving, so as not to startle it to violence. Oddly enough, it didn't seem too concerned, so perhaps she handled herself well enough. They went on like this for a short time, until the girl realized that she was now close enough to see strange markings on the wolf's body. Silver-gray stripes, like those of a tiger, framed his face and the upper portions of his thickly furred legs. The closer she got, she also realized that his size bore more weight than she originally thought. She assumed he would have been able to take on a bear. Now she was sure of it. He was an imposing animal, and the only reason she wasn't afraid of him now related to the fact that he was moving away from her rather than towards her. His indifferent disposition left her feeling bold, but she knew that if he suddenly turned on her, she wouldn't stand a chance.

Admonishing herself for her potentially foolish courage did nothing to turn her back though. She went on following the creature, studying him with fascination so that she could tell someone what she saw later.

The creature suddenly stopped, putting the brakes on his pursuer. He turned to face her, and sat down at the base of one of the tired, gloomy trees. They stared at each other again, the girl deciding maybe she ought to back out now. She was too close for comfort with him looking right at her. Nonetheless, the fact remained that she couldn't turn her back on him. So she didn't move.

The wolf opened his mouth slightly, his tongue hanging out in a perfect smile. Of course, wolves didn't smile—the experts all agreed— and he was probably just panting. But his tail wagged invitingly, and the fear of him attacking abated. Hesitantly, the girl moved toward him, one achingly slow step after the other. Never before had she seen this sort of behavior from a wild animal. He acted like a pet, like an animal that really trusted people. That didn't mean that she should approach him, but she was careful at any rate, and held her hand gingerly toward him, hoping he would sniff it.

Stretching his neck out towards her without standing up, the animal seemed willing to accept the offer. Overwhelmed by his size—he was at least her height, and he was merely sitting—it took everything the girl had to fight the surge of terror that flooded her as his mouth came dangerously close to her hand. He wouldn't bite her though, would he? His nostrils twitched, without consequence. The cold of his nose lightly pressed the very tips of her fingers, and at once the girl succumb to the dizzying sensation of falling with the world—and then open space—screaming past her from every direction. She quickly lost consciousness, and remembered nothing after.

* * *

Voices, low but insistent, seeped in through cracks hidden deep in the shadows of icy sleep. It took a moment, but soon other senses awakened, including pain. The floor under her was hard, cold, and it felt as if her body had lain twisted on it for some great length of time. Every part of the young girl protested sharply as she stirred and struggled to bring herself to a sit.

It took her eyes time to adjust. Little light penetrated the blackness, except from underneath a nearby door and through a filth-clouded window near the far back of the room. With a few good blinks, even that little bit proved enough to gather the nature of the room. Boxes lined every wall, stacked on top of each other. Among the boxes, various other items intermingled—a bucket and mop, large plastic carts stacked with strange looking equipment, old and unusual machines covered in dust. Some boxes sat open, with stacks of books and disheveled paperwork hanging over the sides. A storage room.

Shaking the fog from her brain, the girl crawled across the floor and leaned up against the door, reaching for the knob with an outstretched hand. She found it quickly, but it resisted turning firmly. Fear gripped the child, and she sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth, trying to recall how she wound up in this place. Had she been kidnapped? She certainly didn't remember anything of the sort. All she remembered was the park, the wolf, and then everything going black. That aside, the situation boded ill of her arrival and worse yet for her departure. She wouldn't be getting out of here through the door.

Looking back over her shoulder, the young girl determined that the window might break if she could climb up to it and hurl some heavy object through it. If it made too much noise though, she feared that her captors—whoever they may be—would quickly give chase.

Hearing the voices again through the door, louder this time, she froze with her mind locked on that very fear. She edged away from the door, but pressed her ear against the wall.

"…sorry for her." She caught a somewhat raspy, high male voice.

"It is what it is." Said another, much deeper voice in the tone of warm chocolate and cream. "Believe me, I feel for her too, but we've been waiting on this. Remember, this is _the _last chance. There will be no others, and we can't afford to be too sentimental."

"I know…."

"Do you still think you can do this?"

"I will." The higher voice sounded certain.

"Remember, the only difference from any other student you've had is the final outcome. She's just another trainer, and you can instill confidence and power where it needs to be. Just start slow, and remember: she's going to be afraid."

Footsteps approached the door, and the girl shrank back further, heart racing. They had to be talking about her, but they made very little sense. These kidnappers—whatever purpose they had for her—certainly appeared to think they knew her. Maybe they did. She was afraid afterall.

"Oh, and let her be the one to tell you her name." Said the deeper voice out of the blue, "Don't go blurting it until after she gets comfortable and shares with you."

The girl's heart skipped a beat, and she crawled back away from the wall, wedging herself between some boxes and dragging another one in front of her, hoping to disappear. They knew her name? They couldn't. There had to be some mistake. This was all some huge, horrible misunderstanding. That's what she would tell them, and then they would have to take her home.

The room filled with dusty light from the outside as the door latch clicked and the passage opened. Blinded at first, the girl shrank back more in the shadows of two strangers. A light switch in the room flicked on, and both silhouettes transformed into humans. One, a tall man with platinum blonde—or was it white from age?—hair approached first. His skin, well-tanned where it showed on his hands and face, showed signs of age. Somehow though, he didn't look all that old. Perhaps he looked more distinguished than anything, especially in his khaki pants and long, white lab coat. Really, it was the lab coat that disturbed the poor girl the most. Human guinea pig was not on her list of when-I-grow-up dreams.

"Ah, hello." Said the lab man in that high but somehow rough-sounding voice from earlier.

Drawing back farther, the girl didn't bother trying to hide anymore, but she certainly had no intention of getting close or answering this stranger. The other person must have been the one with the deep voice.

She glanced over to see him—her? She couldn't tell. He'd sounded like a man, but looking at him now, the other person was really ambiguous. He was only slightly shorter than the distinguished, kidnapping scientist, with very fair skin that looked like porcelain. Snow white hair hung in thick, luxurious cascades over his shoulders, but his face looked so young that there was no way the pallor of his locks came from age. Facial features as delicate as a woman's belied a strong, masculine jaw, and piercing eyes—blue as ice—betrayed neither gender, only his intensity. The clothing didn't say much either. Basic blue jeans and a loose-hanging tropical print shirt made the stranger look like he was on vacation, but that was about it.

"I really don't blame you for not wanting to talk to me." The older scientist sighed and clapped his arms to his sides with a heavy shrug.

"Who are you?" The girl demanded, quavering only slightly. She couldn't afford to show much fear. She wanted them to know that she would not give in to whatever demands these people had. She would fight them all the way.

"How rude of me." The old man smiled. "My name is Samuel Oak, but most people call me Professor Oak, or simply 'Professor.' And what might your name be, my dear?"

"I'm not telling you anything."

"Fair enough." The scientist shrugged. "But I have to call you something. How about 'Hope?'"

The young girl froze. It wasn't her name, but the name did belong to her new baby sister. A chill ran down her back, and she bristled.

"Why Hope?"

"Let's just say that I have very high hopes for you." The professor smiled.

His warmth only made 'Hope' suspicious.

"I don't care." She snapped. "Let me go."

Professor Oak shook his head slowly.

"I'm afraid I can't do that. There isn't anywhere you could possibly go if I set you out on your own. You'd be hopelessly lost. How about if you come with me instead, and I explain a few things to you."

He stepped a little closer to Hope and extended his hand to her in an offer to help her up and pull her out of the mess of boxes. Immediately, the girl responded by kicking one of the boxes as hard as she could, sending it crashing into the professor's legs. Stumbling, he just missed grabbing her as she jumped up and darted past him, fleeing for the door.

Unfortunately for Hope, the other person proved a much more formidable force. As she ran past him, he snatched her arm and held firm. The girl began kicking and screaming, clawing at his hands while writhing and twisting helplessly in his grasp. Despite the fragile appearance of his skin, the strange person received not a mark. His strength only echoed when he finally spoke to still the panicked youngster.

"Calm down." His deep voice reverberated with power that instantly quelled his captive. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you struggle like that, I might leave a bruise." He glanced over at the professor. "She's got a lot of fight in her at least."

Professor Oak nodded.

"A promising feature."

Hope crumpled, and tears started streaming down her cheeks.

"Let me go." She sobbed. "Please, just let me go home…."

The professor walked over to her and looked down solemnly. His blue eyes, darker and deeper than the ice blue eyes of the other person, seemed almost sad.

"Sweetheart…you _have_ no way of going back."


	2. Ch 2: A World of Monsters

_**Tales of the Incarnus:**_

_**Earthborn**_

**~ Chapter 2 ~**

**A World of Monsters  
**

Everything raced by in an incomprehensible whirl of tears, thundering pulse, and gripping fear. The gentle warmth of sunshine and cooling breeze so unlike the climate of dreary Pennsylvania offered no comfort and only reminded Hope –gosh how she hated that name and how it mocked her—that this place couldn't possibly be anywhere near where her family lived. She needed a phone, or a police officer, anything to get her back to where she needed to be. Refusing so much as a glance over her shoulder at the laboratory, the words of her kidnappers still haunted her.

_"Even if we let you go right now, you could never get home. You cannot comprehend the vastness of the chasm that separates you from everything you've ever known."_

They took her aside once she'd calmed down enough to listen. Abandoning the dark storage room for a cushy seat in the lobby of the lab, she numbly surveyed her surroundings and all of the bizarre gadgetry she'd never even dreamed of before. It was a relief to leave the lab and simply sit among the books and potted plants near the front door. They told her then that they could help her, if she was willing to learn and take advice from strangers. Of course, she wasn't. She demanded over and over that they take her home, despite their insistence that it was impossible. Well then, she could be just as stubborn. She vowed to ignore them, but to her dismay she now realized that more of what they said stuck with her than she ever intended.

_"The illusion that you understand the world you're seeing now will dissolve soon enough, and it will become apparent that the world as you know it is far out of your reach."_

They made no sense. If they were trying to scare her, it was working, but she was free now. Just put the distance between them and her, run like her life depended on it, and find someone who could get her home. Try not to think about them and their strange remarks, and this would all be over soon.

Having argued enough, they resolved to let her go. Still, the terms on which they released her made Hope feel uneasy, as if maybe she ought to have listened afterall. Recalling vividly the final words from her kidnappers, she wondered what they possibly wanted with her in the first place, as well as what anything they said might have meant.

_"If she will not listen, she will have to see. There is nothing more we can do. Let her go."_

_ "What are you saying? She'll never make it out there on her own! It's far too dangerous. She needs a companion!"_

_ "Do you trust me? The send-off is a week from now. There is time, and until then, she will be safe."_

The certainty with which the strange person spoke convinced the scientist to take Hope out the front door and set her free. After that, the girl ran, refusing to wait any longer. Though nothing looked familiar and no landmarks triggered any sort of recognition, she fled without stopping. Later time would allow opportunity for figuring out where she was. Right now the only thing that mattered was escape.

Hope followed gently sloping streets through quiet suburbs lined with strikingly contemporary houses and contrasting traditional gardens. Beyond the carefully manicured yards lay rolling pasture and narrow roads out of town. She knew just by the scenery that the population here hardly stood out in the scheme of things, but there had to be someone—anyone—that she could turn to for help. Sure enough, after a bit of running, she passed a yard where a woman worked among roses, tending her garden. Out of breath and with a tear-stained face, the girl staggered across the lawn and stopped right beside the stranger, gasping for breath. Startled, the woman looked up, and her face immediately twisted with concern.

"Oh my, are you alright? Do you need some water?" She stood to her feet and brushed the dirt off her clothes.

"I…" Hope panted, "Just need…to use…your phone…." She gulped painfully. "Please."

"Of course, of course." The woman gently ushered her towards the house. "Come right in."

The air conditioning felt good on Hope's burning skin, and as the woman showed her to the kitchen, she felt a sense of relief. This ordeal was almost over. They stopped by the counter, and Hope sat in a bar chair, leaning her elbows on cool stone. Her host started towards the fridge for a glass of water.

"I'll get you something." The woman said. "The phone is right beside you there. Go right ahead."

Turning to look at the phone that she had mistaken for a small tv, Hope stared at the machine for a moment in confusion. Pointing to it uncertainly, she asked,

"This?"

"Yes, of course." Replied the woman, but when the girl continued to stare helplessly, the hostess came over, handed the child a glass of ice water, and powered the machine up. The screen lit, requesting input, and the woman asked patiently, "Have you ever used a phone before?"

"Of course I have…." The girl said indignantly, "But I've never seen a phone like this. Why does it have a screen?"

Confused, the woman answered.

"To see who you're talking to of course. Are you sure you know how to use a phone? Maybe I should put your number in for you."

Hope stared blankly at the woman for a moment as if she was crazy. Phones that you could see people on were things of science fiction. Jetsons and the like. Her family never had the latest and greatest thing, of course, but Hope knew enough to know that these things simply didn't exist in 1997 US of A. Consenting assistance, she rattled off her home phone number and took a drink of water.

Her hostess raised an eyebrow slightly.

"That's an odd number…." The woman said, putting it in anyway. "You must be from another region."

"Another…region? Um…sure." The girl looked at the screen, leaning in with desperation to see her mother's face.

Nothing happened. The screen stayed blue, and a voice on the speaker announced bad news with a painfully cheerful voice.

"We're sorry, but the number you have dialed does not exist. Please check your entry and try again, or return to the phone book to select from your contacts."

"That can't be right." The girl leaned forward and input the number herself, making sure that she hit every key correctly. A knot squeezed her throat when the voice came on again, repeating the same crushing information.

"Are you sure you have the number right?" The woman asked sympathetically when she saw that the poor child looked like she might cry.

"Let me try the neighbors." The girl suddenly insisted, punching in the number quickly and fighting off growing desperation.

"We're sorry, but the number you have dialed does not exist. Please check your entry and try again, or return to the phone book to select from your contacts."

"This can't be right!" The girl started crying. "I know the numbers! Why won't it work?"

Helplessly, the hostess patted the girl's shoulder, trying to offer what comfort she could. But she was at a loss. Finally, Hope spoke again, ragged and terrified.

"Is there a police station anywhere around here? Maybe they can take me home."

"Sure, I'll get you there." The woman hurried towards the door, recognizing her only opportunity to help. "Come on, we'll make sure everything turns out okay."

* * *

The drive was long and somewhat uncomfortable. Hope didn't like riding with strangers, but the awkwardness was overshadowed by her desire to get home. She stared out the window at the peaceful passage of scenery and notice large bulls in a distant field. The herd grazed in still silence while the silhouettes of large birds crossed the blue sky. The woman driving her asked questions now and again, trying to figure out what was going on, but Hope didn't want to talk too much. She answered very few questions, too afraid to mention she'd been kidnapped. All that the woman gleaned was that the child was lost far from home and needed a way back.

They pulled up in front of the small town police station before she got any other information. Climbing out of the car, Hope walked up the sidewalk slowly, going over what she would say in her head. The woman, soon close behind her, opened the front door and led the girl to the front desk, where a police woman leaned over to see them.

"How can I help you today?" She asked pleasantly.

Hope came forward slowly.

"I'm…lost. And I was wondering if you can help me get home. I don't know where I am, but I can tell you my address."

The police woman turned to her computer and got ready to type.

"Alright, I'll bring up a map, and we'll have someone come and take you home."

Hope told the public servant her address, and elicited a peculiar response. It was as if the woman had no idea what she was talking about. Thinking that maybe her kidnappers had taken her well out of state, she responded to the unanswered question.

"It's in Easton, Pennsylvania."

The cop still looked bewildered. "I can't say I've heard of it." She said after a moment. "Hold on though." She started typing furiously. Hope shifted from one foot to the other uneasily when the computer made an unyielding sound. "It's not coming up. What region are you from?"

"I don't know what you mean…Region?"

"Kanto, Johto…anything like that."

Panic welled up inside the girl as she thought that maybe she was farther from home than she expected. Out of country? It was unthinkable, but maybe she had been unconscious for longer than she'd initially suspected.

"Well, I live in the United States."

The officer's reaction made Hope's stomach sink like a rock. After a long, baffled silence, the cop said,

"I'm afraid we don't have any information on that location. Then again, some small islands don't appear in our database. Perhaps if you—"

"The USA isn't a small island!" The young girl cried out, feeling tears burning in her eyes again. Her adrenaline pumping, she now felt more lost and hopeless than ever before. "It's a superpower! A whole country! Everyone knows the USA!"

"Calm down, sweetie." The cop stood up slowly, coming around to the front of the desk. "It'll be okay, but I think we should take you to the hospital."

Horrified, Hope froze. The tears finally leaked from the corners of her eyes.

"What?" She gasped. "You can't be serious."

"You might have had a concussion. We need to have you checked out. From there we can file a missing person's report and see if anyone calls to claim guardianship." She reached her hand out to the child, but the girl jerked away quickly.

"I'm not crazy, and I don't have amnesia!" The girl was practically bawling now. "I know where I live!" She recited her address again, but the cop just reached for her one more time.

"It's okay, honey, we'll take care of you."

"Don't touch me!" Screamed the girl, pulling away again, "You're all crazy! I don't know what's going on here, but I know you people are completely bonkers! I'm getting out of this hick-town!"

The cop grabbed for her again, but this time, the girl ran out the door, ignoring the pleas for her to wait. Hope didn't plan on hanging around. She could just hear the station scrambling their whole two squad cars, sirens blaring, to come after her. No, she had to get out of here, and _now. _This town, wherever it was, was completely crazy. And if nobody could help her, she would just have to run until she found someone who could.

Sprinting across the street and through the parking lot of some nondescript building, she hurried back to the main road and hoped that maybe she could follow it all the way out of town. Already drained from running before, she moved slower than she wanted to, and before long, the howls of police sirens on the wind threatened her escape. She had to get off the road, and quick.

As the sirens grew louder, Hope realized that this far out of the neighborhood, the only place to hide was in the tall grass in the ditches beside the road. It wasn't much of a chance, but she had to take it. Slipping off to the side, she crouched down low and hid among the thick blades, pressing her belly flat to the ground and hoping that the cover was thick enough.

Yowling and lights tore past, the sound distorting as they moved off over a hill and out of view. The girl dared not even breathe until she was sure that they were gone. Seconds passed. Then minutes. When she was sure they weren't coming back, she started to cry. There was something wrong with this place. Something terribly wrong. The phones didn't work, the people had never heard of the USA, and she had no way of calling home. She certainly didn't recognize any part of this town, and if she had to find her way home on her own, she got the feeling it would never happen. Frightened and hopeless, she buried her face in her arms and lay there, sobbing.

Only when she had cried all of her energy away, did the tears stop flowing. She lay there, limp and spent, wondering what she would do. Through sore, bleary eyes, she stared at the thick grass all around her, watching it dance mockingly in the breeze. Swallowing hard, the girl slowly sat up. Staying here wasn't an option. The longer she stayed put, the greater the chance that the police would come back and find her. She didn't want to go back to the crazy station, where the people wanted to put her in the hospital for no reason. She wanted to go home, and that was that. But how?

The grass rustled. At first the girl suspected a gust of wind, but as the movement continued, she realized that something _living _was coming towards her. Slowly, she stood up, hoping to actually catch a glimpse of it, but the animal—whatever it was—was too small to see from above. Well hidden in the grass, all that Hope saw of it was the motion of its body cutting a path. It could have been a cat, or a very small dog; nothing particularly large or scary. She stepped towards it, and strained to see if it would come into view.

An explosion of grass seed and dirt startled the girl so much that she tripped and stumbled backwards. Before she even had so much as a chance to stand up, a ball of fur slammed into her chest, knocking her flat on her back. Her vision starred, her chest splitting with pain. With the wind knocked completely out of her, she struggled not to black out, clawing at the ground and desperately trying to stagger to her feet.

As her vision cleared, and she fell onto her hands and knees after a failed attempt to rise, the girl inhaled a painful gasp of air and found herself face to face with a large rat. It was at least the size of a raccoon, maybe even a little larger, and covered in a dusty violet coat of fur. That was all that she could tell about it before it jumped on her again, its tiny claws grappling at her shoulder and cutting through her clothes. She screamed, jumping up and grabbing at the wild animal with both hands. Catching it by the curled tail, she tried to pry it from her shoulder, but only succeeded in making it furious. Its nails-on-chalkboard squeaks cut into her ears as deeply as its claws started digging into her skin.

That was when she realized that she was in real trouble. The grass all around her feet moved now, with the same foreboding trails. She struggled wildly and finally managed to wrench the animal off of her, but just as she turned to run, another one sprang out of the grass and sideswiped her, knocking her down instantly. They were all on her in an instant. She couldn't tell how many, as they swarmed over her, their furry bodies churning in a tide of teeth and claws. They climbed up, clambering to her face, little beady red eyes flashing as mouths opened and bore hideous incisors as long as her fingers. Hope screamed, trying to shield her face and neck with her arms, and was rewarded with searing pain.

All she could think then was that she was going to die, eaten alive by these giant purple rats. How she'd even gotten into this situation in the first place eluded her, but going home was now the farthest thought from her mind. Her screams went on as she rolled from side to side, trying to curl into a ball to protect her vitals, but the little bodies buried her in their mass. Her muffled cries merged with their incessant, chilling squeals until at last their screams and hers became one.

Then, amid the shrill noise, one of the rats emitted a sickening gurgle of a screech. A strange sensation of warmth spattered the back of the girl's neck, followed immediately by another choking scream. She felt a weight lift off of her, and realized that some of the rats had scattered and run off into the tall grass. The remained had leapt off of her and were running around wildly. Warm red rain showered her and the ground, leaving dark copper spots dotting the grass and her clothes. Mortified, the girl looked around and saw someone hacking away at the huge rats with a sword. She stared in shock at her savior, clad in unusually colorful and baggy clothes that reminded her of some sort of medieval costume. Too stunned by her scrape with death and the bizarre reality of being saved by a swordsman, the girl forgot that she was injured and stumbled to her feet.

She watched numbly as the remaining rats were quickly dispatched. The ones that were able to flee did so hurriedly, and the ones that couldn't ended up skewered or in pieces. The sight of their blood made her head swirl. Seeing animals dying never sat well with her, but her natural survival instincts made her grateful for the heroics of the unusual stranger.

It wasn't until all the rats were gone that she turned to thank him. Their eyes met, and her breath left her completely. This was no man. This was a large, well dressed feline. Reeling, the poor child fell to the ground, her mind cutting her off from the overwhelming situation.

* * *

Not one to faint, when Hope stirred early the next morning, she awoke confused and somewhat disoriented. At first she thought she was back in her room, having dreamed the entire thing, but as her eyes adjusted, reality dawned on her. She lay in the cool, damp morning grass in the shade of a blossoming cherry tree. Warmth wrapped around her comfortingly, but when she moved to sit up, pain wracked her entire body. Her clothes were ripped in some places, and her bare arms and legs oozed with slow-healing cuts and gashes. The bleeding had stopped, but she feared infection, and for as deep as some of the wounds were, she also feared that moving might tear some of them open. As she looked herself over, the vivid memory of the attack came back to her. Momentarily, Hope squeezed her eyes shut and took a second to regroup.

After a few slow, deep breaths, she looked over her shoulder and noticed where her warmth came from. The swordscat—she still had to blink a few times to be sure that she was seeing correctly—lay curled around her. His baggy clothes made for a soft pillow and his tail draped across her lap. He slept with his head on his arms, and looked for all the world like a normal cat now, except for his large size and the fact that he was dressed in bright clothing. Sheathed at his waist was the sword he'd used to save her.

Hope shuddered slightly, not sure what to make of her hero. Obviously he had no intention to harm her. First he'd saved her from those horrible rodents, then he'd brought her to safety and stayed with her through the night. The only thing that disturbed her was the obvious—his very existence went against everything she knew and understood. Still, with him sleeping and her knowing that he obviously meant no harm, Hope felt bold enough to study him a bit more closely. She leaned forward, supporting herself with her hands as she got a closer look at his face.

The cat's fur was luxurious silver in color, and dark spots—like a cheetah's markings—dotted what little of his fur actually showed. His small nose was a delicate pink, and as he slept, his mouth twisted in a smile that showed the very tips of two rather sharp canines. Her eyes wandered from his face to his hands. Yes, he had hands. They seemed quite like human hands, except they showed where claws would emerge during duress. Heavily covered in fur, they seemed soft enough, but she still feared them, considering that he'd used his hands to wield the sword that cut down the monster rats. Like the rats, this particular creature matched not a single reference in the mind of the girl who spent most of her time learning about animals. Even so, she was now beyond confusion and decided that trying to understand what was happening to her would get her nowhere.

All she wanted now was to get home. Cautiously, she decided that she might as well get up and try moving off on her own. Maybe her luck would be better today and she could get out of this terrifyingly unfamiliar town and find a place with fewer…abnormal residents. Gently and in an attempt not to disturb her rescuer, she lifted the cat's tail out of her lap and moved it to the side.

In response, she received a low feline growl. Glancing over, she saw now that the cat opened one shining yellow eye, watching her as if to say 'and what do you think you're doing?'

Nervously, Hope laughed and swallowed hard.

"H-hey…." She said, not sure why she was talking to this bizarre animal and only hoping that he would take her tone of voice as non-threatening. "I…uh….I guess I shouldn't leave without thanking you, huh?"

The cat opened both eyes and lifted his head. His pointed ears turned to the girl, and he studied her quietly for a moment. Feeling uncertain and terribly awkward, Hope rubbed the back of her neck uneasily.

"I…er…. Owe you one." Now that the cat was watching her, she doubted she could just sneak off. "Nice…clothes by the way." Gosh, that was a weird thing to say to a cat.

To her surprise, the feline raised an eyebrow, and his expression changed a bit. He almost seemed to smirk at her. His tail flicked every so slightly, and he rolled onto his back, stretching his arms and legs out.

"I don't suppose you'd let me go now, would you?" Really, Hope was talking more to herself than to the feline. She talked to her pets when she was at home, of course never expecting an answer.

It surprised her when the cat sat up abruptly and shook his head. Blinking in surprise, the girl stared at her hero in disbelief.

"Did you just…. No…no that's crazy." Hope rubbed her forehead and pressed her thumbs to her eyes. "I must be going completely insane. Maybe I need to be hospitalized after all."

A gentle pressure on her shoulder made her look up. She found a strong furred hand resting there, and the cat looking at her empathetically.

"Well, I guess if I am crazy, I might as well roll with it." Hope laughed cruelly at herself. "So you understand me, huh?"

The cat nodded his head once.

Hope sighed.

"Well…that's not the first strange thing that's happened this week." She offered him a weak smile. "Can you talk?"

The cat meowed at her.

"Of course not. Why in the world would you be able to talk? I mean sword fighting, sure, but talking is WAY too much to ask." She rolled her eyes.

The cat started purring.

"Glad to know you're pleased. At least I'm only half crazy. If you actually talked, I'd check _myself_ into the loony bin." The girl sighed again. "Let me just say that I haven't been having a good day…er…however long it's been since I got here." She smiled feebly and turned back to the cat. "I don't suppose you have a name?"

The cat shrugged.

"I thought not." A pause. "Say….you wouldn't happen to know anyone I could talk to, would you? I really would like to know where the heck I am and what is _wrong _with this dreadful place."

To her surprise, the heroic feline got to his feet and offered her a hand up. Hesitantly, Hope accepted, and followed when the cat pulled her along, back towards the main road. Too strong for her to resist, for one, the cat also seemed to know where he was going. That was a plus, considering the girl had absolutely no clue herself. He dragged her a ways, but before long, she started walking side by side with him. He let her go when he was certain she wasn't going to leave his side, and the two walked in silence for quite awhile.

They must have looked odd, Hope mused. If anyone saw them, it surely would have been a sight. The cat stood at exactly her height—a good five feet and ten inches tall. She was an early bloomer, and had always been the tallest in her class, but now she felt rather small walking next to an abnormally large bipedal cat with a sword. Even those awful rats, despite being smaller than she was, made her feel tiny for all the wounds they inflicted on her. Maybe it was just their sheer number, but Hope still had plenty of pain shooting through her with every step to remind her that this cat had been strong enough to fend off those nasty little fiends. She imagined that he could probably eat her if he felt like it. After asking him if he would and receiving an odd-sounding laugh as a response, the girl decided to be quiet for awhile and just let her protector lead the way.

Walking for most of the day wound up taking a serious toll on Hope's morale. Exhausted and in terrible pain, eventually she had to be carried by the feline warrior the rest of the way to their destination. He kindly obliged, and being too worn-out to protest, Hope allowed it. They arrived by late afternoon at the south end of town, completely opposite of where they started. Peaceful houses painted in shades of blue and gray stood tall on land that sloped gently towards a quiet, sandy beach.

People walked and played on the shore, while others stood knee deep in the water, fishing. It seemed perfectly serene, except for one thing. Among the humans bounded unusual pets. At first Hope didn't notice, but as they got closer to the water, she realized—these animals were nothing like anything she'd ever seen before. All of the humans around seemed perfectly fine with them, playing with them, feeding them, even sunbathing on picnic blankets in the grass with them. Yet not a single one looked anything like a normal cat or dog.

Putting on a brave face, Hope shook off a wave of nausea that arose at the realization that she was still stuck in whatever nightmare she'd gotten herself into, and it was only getting stranger. She remembered the unusual wolf in the park back home and vaguely wondered if he shared any sort of connection with these freakish creatures around her. Opting not to think about it when it made her too uneasy, the girl made her way down to the water's edge and waded out. The water stung her open wounds with salty, gently lapping waves. Despite the pain, Hope scooped water up and splashed in on herself, trying to clean up as much as she could. Maybe the salt would keep infection away. Her feline rescuer waited on shore, staring grudgingly at the sea. He sat down, cross-legged in the sand, his clothes rippling softly in the breeze.

After her refreshing salt-water bath, the girl started back towards land. Still feeling sore, she wanted to sit down for awhile, but the sight of the wading fishermen bade her try and find someone to talk to. She had questions, and she wanted them answered. Boldly, she picked the nearest person—a young man perhaps only a little older than she was. Maybe his age invited her more so that the older fishermen, but the young man seemed quite strong and quite comfortable with the current situation so that Hope thought maybe he could help her.

She approached slowly, battling the current until she was right beside him. He glanced sidelong at her, his eyes showing mild annoyance, though he didn't say anything at first.

"Hi." Said Hope over the wind.

"Shh, you're gonna scare the pokémon."

"The what?"

The boy looked over in exasperation and sighed. "I said, you're gonna scare the pokémon. What don't you understand?"

"I don't know what you mean by pokémon." Hope frowned.

"Stop fooling around." The boy grunted, and went back to fishing.

Hope sighed, and stood still for awhile, humoring the kid with silence. After a bit, her quietness paid off. Or else the boy started getting annoyed.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"I was hoping maybe you could help me…." She held out her battered arms to show him.

The boy glanced over at her and at once, his eyes widened. "Hey…what happened to you?"

"I was attacked by some crazy rats." Hope pouted pitifully. "It was horrible."

The boy frowned. "Come on, don't tell me you went out without your pokémon. What sort of idiot are you."

So much for concern.

Hope glared. "Well, I'll have you know that I didn't _expect _to be assaulted by rabid rodents. Where I come from, the rats don't actually want to eat you."

"Is that so?" The boy rolled his eyes and pulled in his line. "You must live in the city or something. What're you doing all the way out here in Palette Town?"

"Believe me, I wish I knew."

The boy shrugged. "Are you lost or something?"

"Yeah." Hope sighed. "See, I'm from Easton Pennsylvania."

"Never heard of it." The boy shook his head and started walking towards shore. "I'm Tony, by the way. My dad and I come here to Palette Town for the fishing mostly. We live on Cinnabar Island, but we travel a lot in our boat."

Hope slumped slightly. "Well, that's great. And apparently you're not the only one who doesn't have any idea where Easton is."

"Well, there's lots of places in the world. But anyway," The boy looked her over. "You really need to be more careful. You could actually get yourself killed if you go out without your pokémon."

Hope eyed him quizzically.

"You…do have a pokémon, don't you?" Tony asked.

"No, actually, I don't." Hope said, putting her hands on her hips irritably. "In fact, I don't have the foggiest—"

"Whoa!" The young man shouted as they walked up the bank of the beach and were quickly greeted by a certain well-dressed kitty.

The feline put both paws on Hope's shoulders protectively and peered at Tony with distrust.

"That is one wicked monster you've got there. How in the world did you get so banged up with a pokémon like that around?"

"Him?" Hope asked, glancing over at the hero uncertainly. A pokémon huh? "Well… He's not really mine…." She started. "Actually he just sorta saw me in trouble and came to my rescue, I suppose."

"Are you serious? Man, what a lucky break. It looks like he really likes you anyways."

The cat rumbled warily.

"I guess so…."

"Anyways, so you really don't have a pokémon?"

"No." Hope shook her head. "I'm really…lost, and to be honest I haven't even seen any of the…uh…..monsters…that I've seen in the last few days before." She scanned the beach nervously, eying the peculiar pets-of-choice kept by the residents.

Tony shrugged casually. "I guess you must really be from the inner city then. Never been beyond the concrete jungle. But I'm surprised you've never seen rattata before…."

"Rattata?"

"Those rat pokémon that attacked you." Tony wrinkled his nose. "Have you ever seen _any _pokémon before?"

The girl shook her head.

Tony facepalmed. "Wow. I honestly don't know what to say. I've never met a complete shut-in before."

"I'm NOT a shut-in." snapped Hope.

"Yeah, well you certainly don't get out enough."

"I get out all the time."

"Obviously you don't, considering that you just went out unprotected and got yourself chewed pretty bad. You're just lucky that someone was looking out for you." He nodded to the cat.

Scowling, Hope replied.

"Look, I come from a place that apparently nobody has ever heard of. The USA?"

"Nope." Tony waved his hand dismissively.

"Yeah well, there we don't have huge animals that attack you if you just try to go out. We don't have…pokémon, I guess you call them. And anyway, I don't want to fight with you, I just want to go home."

"Well how did you get here in the first place?"

"I don't know. I think I was kidnapped."

Tony slapped his face again. "Okay, you're starting to scare me. Did you talk to the police."

"Yes, but they wanted to put me in the hospital. They told me that the place I live doesn't exist, and that I'm suffering from a concussion, which I'm _not._"

Tony sighed. "Well it sounds like you are to me."

"Shut up."

"Hey, you came to ME for help, remember?" Tony paused and rubbed his head thoughtfully. "Well, if you already talked to the police, I can't do much for you. Unless you wanted to use the phone on our boat."

"I tried using the phone already. Apparently I can't call home. The number doesn't exist."

"Well then, you have a real problem, don't you?" Tony scowled. "I guess the only other thing I can offer you is some advice."

"And what's that?"

"Get yourself a monster and start looking for your own way back home." He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, handing it to her.

Hope took it and unfolded it slowly. On it was a picture of a red and white ball, with three more strange creatures around it. One appeared to be a lizard—almost dinosauresque in appearance. One was a sort of turtle, and the other…well it looked sort of like a frog mixed with a bulldog with a flower bulb on its back. They were so surreal in appearance that it was completely impossible to believe that they were real. And yet the photograph was so clear and crisp that they could be nothing but. At the bottom of the paper was an address.

"The annual send-off is gonna be in just a few days. I don't know if the trainers for this year have been chosen yet, but if there's a spot open, you can pick one of those pokémon and take it with you. If you have one of those and maybe some help from your friend—" Tony nodded at the cat "—then you shouldn't have to worry about being attacked again."

"Oh…okay." Hope stared quietly at the picture, too weary and numb with disbelief to do much else for the moment. "I guess I should look into that then."

"Yup. Oh, but you'll also need to know a thing or two about training if you've never done it before." Tony grinned broadly. "Tell you what? I've been a trainer for about a year now. Why don't you come back to the boat with me, and I'll show you a thing or two."

Hope forced a smile. "Sure. You couldn't make me any more clueless at least."

Tony laughed and elbowed her playfully. "Yeah, you got that right."

* * *

That night, Hope and her feline friend joined Tony and his father for dinner on their houseboat. Tony's father helped clean and dress the wounds on the poor girl's arms and legs, and after dinner, Hope sat and watched the sunset on deck while the feline swordsman kept watch and Tony played videos of trips he and his father took while out at sea. At first Hope found watching the videos difficult. Pokémon, as she knew them now, came in at every twist and turn. In fact, Tony and his father spent a majority of their time looking for them. They videoed the wild ones, and even taped captures—which consisted of violent battles followed by the tossing of a small ball that dubiously drew the defeated monsters inside and apparently sealed them away. The utter nonsense of it all weakened Hope's faith that she was even awake and that this wasn't some psychotic dream. Really, it was only her very real pain that reminded her that yes, this really was happening.

She watched in silence as, on the little tv screen, the video rolled of Tony and his father exploring an icy ocean cave. Large, white seal beasts flopped about on their bellies to avoid the two seamen, slipping into the icy water. One of them, not as lucky as the rest, became trapped and sealed off from the rest of the monsters like it, so Tony and his father went after it.

Tony talked while Hope witnessed the capture.

"You know, even if this is all new to you, I think that that alone makes it worth it."

"What do you mean?" Hope asked skeptically.

"If you haven't ever trained before, that makes it all the more amazing when you actually do it. I dunno." Tony folded his hands behind his head and watched the video with a half-smile on his face. "My whole family has always made training part of the family business. It's only a part of what we do, but it's still who we are, and it's drilled into us from the time we're real young. But I still remember my very first battle, and everyone remembers their first monster. I think—for someone who's never experienced it before—that would be all the more amazing."

"You think so?" Hope looked over.

"Well sure; I mean, it's a rush when you meet your starter for the first time, and even more of a rush when you start working with them. Then, as you see them start trusting you and listening to you, it's like…the coolest feeling in the world. I dunno. If you've never done anything like it before, you definitely have to try it."

"I guess I don't really have much of a choice." Hope laughed to choke back a sudden wave of sadness.

Taking notice, Tony reached into his pocket and pulled out a small red and white ball, much like the one on the brochure he had given her. He pushed a button on the front of it, and the tiny object expanded in size.

"Here." Tony said. "Have a look at this."

He pushed the button, and all of the sudden, a brilliant beam of red-white light exploded from the tiny shell and poured itself into some semblance of shape. As the glow cleared, it left behind a creature so vastly similar to the seals that Hope knew and recognized as familiar animals that she felt a twinge of homesickness.

It was a seal, to be sure, white with a blubbery little body and a familiar puppy-like face. Its pudgy little cheeks spread in a smile as it barked a greeting, exposing lots of sharp little teeth. Perhaps the only unusual thing about this little creature was the fact that atop its head jutted a protruding bone like a unicorn horn.

"This is Seel." Tony grinned. "He's the one we caught in this video." He nodded towards the tv. "He was actually my first monster."

Hope glanced at Tony and felt the contagious smile turn the corners of her lips up. The homesickness grew, and for just a moment, Hope felt like somehow, the similarity of this creature to creatures that she knew well brought her so close and yet so far from home. When she spoke, she had to choke the words out and laugh to clear her throat to keep from crying.

"He's so cute. Can I pet him?"

"Sure." Tony laughed. "He loves attention."

Hope got down on the deck with the monster and ran her hand across his smooth, fat little body. Seel barked in delight.

"I hope I get a pokémon like him." Hope quavered. "One that reminds me of home."

"I'm sure you'll be happy with whatever you get." Tony chuckled. "Trainers build really strong bonds with their first monsters."

"It's weird… Talking about monsters like this." Hope said, still petting the Seel, who by now had rolled onto his back and splayed his flippers in invitation for more.

"Why's that?"

"Because nobody believes in monsters where I come from."

Tony laughed at that. "Wow, sounds like either you hit your head really hard or everyone you know did."

"I'm totally serious."

"Well," Tony leaned down to pet Seel as well, "Do _you_ believe in monsters?"

"Now I do."

Replied Hope.


	3. Ch 3: Choice

_**Tales of the Incarnus:**_

_**Earthborn**_

**~ Chapter 3~**

**"Choice"**

Over the next few days, the uprooted, displaced girl found herself spending most of her time on the houseboat, recovering from her injuries and listening to fantastic tales of seafaring prowess. Tony and his father gave her plenty of space and offered her meals, and she showed her gratitude by indulging their one-that-got-away stories and helping on the boat where she could. Her anxiety to get home never left her, but she managed to put it aside under the assumption that no matter who she asked, they wouldn't be able to help her. Her best chance now, as far as she could tell, was to take Tony's advice and make an honest attempt to get back on her own. And that, to her dismay, proved an elusive concept, as far as planning went.

Honestly, Hope had no clue where to begin, so the best that she could do was listen and learn. Tony seemed to have enough experience to share, and he enjoyed sharing it. He showed off his monsters and explained how each monster was different.

"It takes time to learn and understand each of them as individuals, but with time, you'll get better at it. Eventually, you'll even be able to read your monsters like a book, and then you'll be a true master."

Well and good, Hope supposed, if she ever got that far. The send-off, rapidly approaching, offered only three monsters, and she wasn't so certain she'd get any of them. She hadn't even had a chance to find the building where the send-off was being held yet, so there was no guarantee that there would even be a spot available for her. That could prove hazardous to her hopes of getting home, considering that her feline hero didn't seem to accept the idea of being her personal pet.

Just in case she didn't get one of the three starters, she tried her best to convince the kitty that she could handle him, but he refused her attempts. Despite the fact that he stayed beside her constantly and seemed willing to guard her with his life, the sword-wielding cat refused any and all orders that she gave him.

Tony told Hope that it was simply because she was inexperienced, and this monster seemed rather powerful.

"Patience and experience make all the difference." Tony said. "And it doesn't hurt to earn a few badges."

He explained how trainers often competed in local gyms to earn merits that got them recognition in the pokémon leagues. Really, it all sounded far too overwhelming for Hope. She had enough mountains to climb without trying to figure out how to beat other trainers at their own game, and honestly, using pokémon to fight each other seemed rather cruel and unusual to her. Even so, Tony insisted it was a common practice, and that the monsters enjoyed proving themselves in battle.

Hope asked her feline companion if it was so, and he nodded in agreement.

"So tell me about the monsters that are being offered for the send-off." Hope said to Tony the day before the event.

She leaned on the boat railing with her face into the wind while she watched mighty seabirds circle the sky above.

"Well," Tony leaned on the rail as well, a little farther forward so that he could look around the hero cat and see Hope standing at his other side, "One is called bulbasaur. It's a grass type, and it fights with vines, leaves, and seeds to choke out, cut down, and sap the opponent's energy.

"I hear they're pretty laid back and calm, but they can be stubborn."

Hope rested her chin on her folded hands and watched the waves sparkle in the fading sunlight. Tony went on.

"The second choice is called charmander. It's a fire type, so it can really heat things up in a hurry." Tony smirked at his own pun. Hope rolled her eyes, and Tony continued. "Charmander is said to be one of the easiest monsters for beginners because of their docile nature. Of course, as they grow they become a lot more difficult to handle, and by the time they reach their final stage of growth, they require an experienced trainer to keep them in check. But if they grow with the trainer, they make excellent teachers, and both can benefit from the friendship.

"Then the last one is squirtle. It's the little turtle one, and it fights with water on its side. It's a decent choice. They can be pretty darn loyal and brave, even against odds. They're mighty cute and bubbly, but they can sort of suffer from jealousy issues with other monsters, I've heard. They love to be the center of attention. They're easy to train, but they're also easy to spoil if the trainer is too soft with them. You have to be firm."

"It sounds like I may have quite the choice to make." Hope pinged the handrail with her fingernail. "I'm sorta worried…. I mean, assuming that I get a monster at all, how do I know I'll even be able to handle it?"

"Well, not all monsters are as hard to deal with as your cat friend." Tony looked over at the swordsmonster. "No offense."

The cat snorted and flicked its tail.

"And if you start out with a young monster, it will become attached to you, so it'll want to help you out. Don't be intimidated. You can take it."

"I hope you're right."

The hero cat started purring and leaned over to rest his chin on top of Hope's head. The gesture surprised her, and rattled her brains a bit, but she laughed and playfully batted him away.

"Look. He believes in you too."

* * *

Daylight brightened the morning sky in a brilliant shade of rose, and the salty air smelled strangely sweet as Hope stepped out into the new day. Last night, sleep eluded her. Her mind plagued her with nightmares of losing her home and finding herself lost in a world completely foreign to her. She wrestled with the fear that maybe she'd never find her way back. Then there was the thought that maybe, just maybe she could. The big day was upon her, and if she had any chance of getting out of this accursed town, it all rode on whether or not she would be allowed to attend the send-off and choose a monster to accompany her. Tingling with anticipation and anxiety, she got up the next morning unrested but fully alert.

"You ready?" Tony came out on deck and asked as they tied the boat up at the dock.

"As I'll ever be." Hope answered. "I just hope they don't send me away. I never did get a chance to find the place and see if they even had any spots available."

"Well, it's early. The sun's barely up. If you leave now, I bet you'll be the first one there. How could they refuse you then?"

"I should get going, then." Hope pulled the paper out of her pocket and studied the address.

"Hang on one sec." Tony scrambled back inside.

Curious, Hope waited a moment, handing her paper to her feline companion so that he could look it over.

"You know how to get there, right?" She asked him.

The cat nodded definitively, then handed the paper back to her. Hope tucked it away in time to look up and see Tony emerge again with a backpack in his hand.

"Here." Tony said with a smile, handing the bag to the girl. "Dad and I thought you could use this. You'll need something to carry things in. We went ahead and put a few things in there for you too. Some protein bars and water, and a first aid kit." Tony winked.

Hope blushed in embarrassment.

"Yeah, hopefully I won't need it. I don't plan on rousing the wrath of raving rodents anymore." She laughed.

"Great." Tony grinned and lowered the ramp onto the dock. "I think you'll do fine. Don't worry a bit."

"I'll try." Hope smiled weakly. "Thanks for all your help. I really do appreciate it."

"Hey, anytime. We tucked a little money in there for you too, so spend it wisely."

The girl's face reddened even more, "O-oh. You didn't have to do that!" She paused, knowing that without the money, she'd probably be stuck. No sense in trying to talk her benefactors out of it. "Thanks…I will."

Hope walked slowly down the ramp and stopped on the dock, looking over her shoulder hesitantly at the boat she was about to leave behind. Despite the initial arguments in their first meeting, she really did feel grateful to Tony. Leaving them behind to embrace the uncertainty of her future caused a lot more anguish that the girl expected. But it had to be done. They had their lives to go on with and she…well she still had to find hers. At least her new friends equipped her with a slightly better understanding of what she was getting into, but that didn't make the goodbye any easier.

Blinking back a few tears, she threw up a hand and waved excitedly.

"Goodbye!" She called out as her feline hero jumped over the side rail and landed soundly on the dock beside her. "Thank you for everything!"

Tony's father appeared behind the young man and waved back.

"So long, kiddo! And good luck! Pick a winner!"

"I'll try!" Hope laughed, then turned away and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. Turning grimly towards town, she took a deep breath and braced herself. It was time to re-enter the unknown all on her own.

* * *

With the swordscat as her guide, Hope made her way back into town and through the quiet streets rather quickly. The roads were empty this early in the morning, save for a few people here and there. Hope had expected it to be a little busier on the day of the send-off. From what she gathered, it was an occasion like a coming of age for kids who wanted to become trainers. She assumed that their friends and family would be gathering to see them off, but there was nobody around.

As they got closer to the destination, Hope began to recognize a few landmarks here and there. Some of the houses looked familiar, and the streets all seemed to be leading to the same place, much like they had when she'd run away. A twang of fear gripped her stomach, but she pushed it aside, trying to ignore it. Her efforts went out the door when they stopped across the street from the lab that—only days before—she had fled in a hurry. Her hands broke into a cold sweat and she felt her heart skip a beat.

"You're kidding." She looked up at her feline companion. "This can't be the place."

The cat lifted a furred hand and pointed to a sign at the end of the walk leading up to the building. Frantically, Hope pulled her piece of paper out and compared the numbers on the flier to the address on the sign. Sure enough, they matched.

With a helpless whimper, she shook her head and panted.

"No, no there's no way."

Her cat friend put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it, then gently urged her forward. Realizing that she had no other plan than this one, she gritted her teeth and moaned.

"I guess this is it then." She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled heavily. "Okay…back me up. If I'm going back in there, I'm going to get them to explain everything."

The cat meowed loudly, and the two of them headed for the wide glass front doors.

Inside, the cool air conditioning hit Hope's face and made her shiver. She blamed the sheen of nervous sweat developing over her body for the cold. Slowly, she stepped forward, looking around at the quiet lobby and wondering where everybody was.

"Hello there!" A voice said from near the bookshelves.

Startled, Hope turned to see who it was. A man was there, clad in a lab coat and holding a notebook and pen in his hands. She didn't recognize him at all, but knew he must work there. His bright and curly red hair contrasted his light skin and his green eyes. Glasses sat at the end of his nose, as if they'd fallen while he was reading something.

"How can I help you?" He asked.

"I'm here for the send-off." Hope said, disappointed to find that her nervousness came out in her voice.

"Oh wow. You're the first one here then." The man tucked his notebook under his arm and came over, extending his hand in greeting. Hope shook it hesitantly.

"My name is Jonathan. I'm an intern here at Oak Labs. The professor is in the back, preparing for the new trainers. Come on, I'll take you to him."

Hope followed Jonathan diligently, forcing her feet to carry her forward against her will. This place still haunted her memories, and as they passed from the lobby into the lab, her adrenaline spiked. Instinctively, she stayed close to the feline monster serving as her protector for comfort.

Professor Oak stood near the back of the lab, working on some computer equipment and polishing up a large machine with a large pedestal in the middle. He looked up in surprise upon hearing footprints, and his eyes lit up almost immediately.

"Well, well! Hello, Hope! I'm so glad to see you back."

The girl grimaced and shied away slightly as he approached her. Taking the hint, the professor took pause and looked over at her feline escort instead. Somewhat amused, spoke again,

"I see you met Excalipurr."

Alarmed, Hope looked over at the well-dressed kitty and took a sidestep away from him.

"Excalipurr? So he's yours." She looked at the cat and frowned. "Don't tell me you brought me back here on purpose."

The cat only glanced at her, but the professor held up his hands and shook his head disarmingly.

"Oh, he's not mine. He's a royal envoy sent to watch over you so that you wouldn't get yourself killed. I assure you I have nothing to do with it, other than I knew he was sent to find you. I never expected him to bring you back here, but I'm very glad he did."

"Really." Hope eyed Excalipurr warily. "So I suppose the King sent him." She said overdramatically. "Well, that explains the clothes." She frowned. "Give my regards to His Majesty, whoever _he _is."

"There's no need to be hostile." Professor Oak sighed. "Judging from the scars on your arms and legs, Excalipurr came to your rescue just in the nick of time."

"I'm plenty thankful for his help, I assure you." The girl folded her arms across her chest. "What I'm not thankful for is that I needed it in the first place." Annoyed to boldness now, Hope took a step towards Professor Oak and pointed at him accusingly. "_You_ brought me here, wherever 'here' is, and I want _you_ to get me back home."

The professor stared for a moment at the young girl and sighed.

"I told you, at the moment, there is no way for you to return." The scientist rubbed the back of his neck. "It's hard to explain, and you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you.

"There are a lot of things I wouldn't have believed a week ago, but at this point, I think I'd believe anything." Hope wrinkled her nose. "Try me."

"Well," The professor folded his hands behind his back and started walking back towards his machines.

"…I'll leave you two to hash this out." Said Jonathan, sensing potential conflict. The aide hurriedly left the lab, and the Professor pondered for a silent moment before he began to explain.

"You see, Hope…when you came here, you passed through a one-way gate from your world into ours. I'm sure you've figured out by now that this world has no connection with the one you were born in."

"It's crossed my mind, yes. But if I came here, I have to be able to leave somehow."

"Well, the only way to return that I know of is through another gate like the one that you passed through already, but I don't have the power to open one for you. Only one monster has the power to bypass natural dimensional barriers, and to get him to do it for you will take a great deal of effort."

"Bull. You brought me here, and you can send me back."

"Correction, the King of Monsters brought you here, and only _he _can send you back."

"I heard you talking to someone like you'd planned to bring me here, so even if this so-called king really did bring me here, you're in cahoots with him, and I'm sure you can talk to him and have him send me home. You don't fool me at all. You have some sort of scheme you cooked up, and you're just as guilty as whoever brought me here, _if _it wasn't you to begin with."

"My hands are clean." Professor Oak sighed. "Trust me, I wouldn't have wanted you taken from your family if the King didn't believe that there was no other way. He insisted, and I obliged."

"Fine. So I need to find this king and convince him to send me back."

The professor laughed. "Well, that's a tall order. If you want him to consider your request, you're going to need to prove yourself as a trainer first. He's not heartless, but he does have an agenda, and if you don't play your cards right, he won't give you the time of day."

"He sounds charming." Hope snorted sarcastically. "So what's this agenda of his? Why did you and he agree that it was so important that you kidnap me and bring me to this wretched place at all? Don't you have enough kids to turn into trainers?"

"It was you specifically that he wanted, but it's very complicated. I'm sure that he would be willing to explain the necessity, but not until the time is right."

"Great. Where can I find him?"

"When you're ready, he'll come to you." The professor shook his head solemnly. "In the meantime, I can offer to prepare you for meeting him. You'll need a pokémon to command, first of all. I'm sure that Excalipurr will gladly remain at your side until his services are no longer needed, but as a servant to the King, his loyalties lie elsewhere. You need a monster that will devote itself to you entirely." The professor gestured towards the pedestal by the computer, and pressed a button.

The pedestal turned slowly, and began sinking into the floor. On the surface of it, three holes spun open slowly with the rotation. Three metal arms, each supporting a red and white ball, emerged from the openings and locked into place with a sound click.

"These are the pokémon I've been preparing for the send-off today. I wasn't sure if you were going to show up, but I'm glad you did. I actually intended one of these for you. So, as the first one present, you're welcome to choose your companion first."

The girl stepped up to the pedestal and looked at each of the bi-colored spheres in turn. Each one had a tiny mark on the top of the shell. One had a flame, one had a leaf, and one had a water droplet emblem.

"Bulbasaur," Hope chewed her lip thoughtfully and pointed to the one marked with the leaf. "Charmander…." Her hand swept slowly to the ball marked with flame. "And squirtle…." The water droplet.

"That's right." Professor Oak smiled broadly and rocked back on his heels. "I see you've already been educating yourself. I'm very impressed."

"Yeah, well…one does what one must…." The girl sighed and studied each ball, mulling over in her mind everything that Tony had told her.

She remembered the pictures of each monster from the paper flier, and she tried to consider which one appealed to her the most, and which one seemed to have the best personality type according to her minimal understanding. The task proved a great deal more daunting than she expected, and she found herself standing there, finger pressed firmly against her chin, as she weighted the pros and cons of each.

So wrapped up was she in her decision-making process, that she didn't hear the door open or the footsteps. She didn't even hear Jonathan announce the arrival of the other trainer. Instead, she was rudely jostled aside when the young man elbowed in beside her and leaned over the table to see what there was. Hope had to catch herself on the table, and she looked over at the young man in irritation and disbelief that he could be so rude.

The young man wore his light brown hair in a punk cut, spiked with gel. His striking blue eyes flashed when she glared at him, and he sneered at her somewhat mockingly. His purple shirt under a nice jean jacket gave him a tough look, and at once he made a bid to enhance that impression. Crossing his arms brashly, he looked down his nose at the girl.

"Well, well. Never seen you around here. Step aside, I'm here for my pokémon."

"Now, Gary." Professor Oak scolded. "She was here first, and as such, she deserves first pick."

"You pullin' my leg, Gramps? You'd let this…nobody…pick before your own grandson?" The boy wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"Shame on you, Gary. You know better than to talk that way." He turned to the girl. "I'm sorry, Hope. This is my grandson, Gary. Gary, this is—"

"Charity." The girl suddenly cut in, stepping forward and grabbing Gary's hand before the professor could finish or Gary could protest. "My name is Charity." She shook Gary's hand severely, staring him down.

Oak's grandson yanked his hand away and glared. The professor cracked a large grin.

"Well then, Charity. I suppose you won't need a nickname anymore."

The girl rolled her eyes. She hadn't done it for the professor's convenience or out of trust for the old man. No, she wanted this brat of a kid to know who she was and keep it straight. She could tell that if he didn't, he was going to walk all over her. Besides…she hated being called 'Hope.'

"Hmm…Gary, did you happen to see Ash on your way here?" The professor rubbed the stubble on his chin thoughtfully.

"Nope. Not like he stands out though."

"I wonder where he could be…. I know I told him what time we were starting."

Gary shrugged dramatically. "How should I know? He's probably still snoring in his princess pjs."

"Oh dear…" Professor Oak looked over at the clock. "Well, I suppose we can wait a little while for him. Charity, why don't you go ahead and choose while we wait. The early pidgey gets the weedle."

Gary flashed Charity a look of daggers, but the girl chose to ignore him. Taking her time, she looked over her choices once more. They were all good…but…..

"I think I'll take…this one." She gently lifted up the ball with the little flame on it. It felt warm and a little heavy in her hands. "Charmander."

"Fine." Gray shoved forward again. "If I can't choose first, at least I can best _you_." He snatched a ball from the pedestal. "I'm taking Squirtle. We'll see how Charmander likes that."

"Both very good choices." The professor approved. "But, Gary, I wouldn't be so quick to assume that just because you have the type advantage you'll win. There are a lot of factors that decide every battle. You need to think of more than just in terms of rock, paper, and scissors."

"Oh yeah?" Gary cocked his head to one side, mockingly. "Well let's just see who's the better trainer then? Right here, right now." He turned to Charity, who suddenly felt a rush of terror at the realization that she really had no honest clue what she needed to do. "Whadya say, Lightweight? Shall we go?"

Charity scowled, and looked down at the ball in her hands. She honestly only had the knowledge that she'd gained watching Tony's home videos to back her up. Aside from that, her experience was nil. Nonetheless, the realization that if she turned this kid down, she'd never learn anything dawned on her. There was a first time for everything. What was the worst that could happen? She was certain nothing could be any worse than anything she'd already experienced this week.

"Alright." She took a few steps back. You're on."

"Don't break anything…." Professor Oak moaned as his grandson sprang backwards to make space for the battlefield. The old scientist rubbed his head as if he felt an ache coming on.

"Alright, Squirtle, let's do this!"

Gary drew his arm back all the way and literally threw the ball into the center of the floor. It landed without rolling and broke open with a loud _pop _and a rushing sound as red light streamed out of it to form the body of a pale blue turtle. It had the familiar face of a sea turtle, and the undaunting shell of any other tortoise that Charity had seen before. However, it stood on its hind legs with relative ease, and it boasted a long tail curled into a tight loop that pressed against the floor and offered a muscular brace. The little monster stretched its scaly limbs and set its clawed feet apart firmly, balancing itself in a standing position with its arms out and its head down. For such a small creature its stare intimidated Charity rather a lot.

There was no point in backing out now though. Hesitantly, she rolled her own ball in her hands and spoke softly to it.

"Okay, Charmander…let's see how this works out for us."

Lightly tossing the ball to the floor, it popped with the same distinctive sound and unleashed a flourish of light that transformed into a creature with the shape of some kind of little dinosaur. Covered in orange scales from head to the tip of its flaming tail, it looked almost hot to the touch. The unusual lizard opened its mouth, baring rows of sharp little teeth, and let out a threatening hiss at the turtle opponent.

"This will be too easy." Gary snorted. "Squirtle, tackle it now."

Stifling any ability to react, the little turtle-contrary to the nature of turtles on Earth—sprang forward at surprising speed and slammed shoulder first into the unsuspecting charmander. The little lizard lost its balance and fell backwards, sliding along the ground under the momentum of his attacker.

A sharp jolt of fear for the safety of her new pet gripped Charity's heart fiercely.

"No—" She gasped, holding her hand towards him and helplessly moving to step forward.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea. Maybe throwing these creatures in to fight each other was cruel. It certainly seemed that way, looking at the little fire creature that was only just now getting to its feet. Perhaps even worse than the cruelty of it, the fact that Charity had no idea what she was supposed to do next clawed at her. Watching videos was well and good, but it was no substitute for growing up learning how to handle these creatures. She didn't know what it already knew or didn't know, and she had no idea if it would even understand her if she started issuing orders.

Horrified and already second-guessing herself, the girl took a step forward with every intention to scoop up her new monster and call the fight off. He was just getting to his feet, and Gary's squirtle only knocked him down again roughly. He was a regular bully. Still, just as the girl made to reach for her new pet, the soft footfalls of the Professor's rubber-soled shoes hit the ground beside her. His hand, surprisingly strong on the young girl's shoulder, gripped her and pulled her back.

"It's dangerous to get in the middle of a fight between monsters, even if they're weak and untrained like these." The professor's voice was gentle but firm. "You aren't doing Charmander any service by trying to interfere. What he needs from you is strength and support. He needs someone to guide him."

"But…" The poor girl started breathing harder, her voice breaking, "But I don't know what to say."

"That's okay. Just because you haven't been taught how to command a monster doesn't mean you can't coach one through a fight. Every monster has wild instincts."

The man gestured towards the center of the room, where now the little lizard was grappling on the tile floor with Gary's squirtle. With the turtle pinning it down, the charmander squirmed its way onto its back and pulled its legs up towards its chest. The small monster forcefully pressed his clawed toes against the shelled belly of the opponent, trying to shove the turtle away. The attempt was not exactly doing much more than keeping the squirtle from coming down with another blow, and Charity saw that clearly. Protected by the hard shell, Squirtle hardly even noticed the efforts of the flame lizard.

"He already knows how to fight…." Charity murmured softly.

"To survive in the wild, all monsters have to fight sooner or later."

"So he's just trying to survive…"

"We wouldn't allow him to become hurt past the point of recovery, but yes, that is his instinct." The professor answered.

"But he can't see what's right in front of him. He'll never break through that shell."

"No." The professor grinned suddenly, "He won't."

"HEY!" Gary called out from across the room. "What are you telling her, Gramps?! It's not fair of you to take her side!"

"Charmander!" Charity shouted over Gary. "The shell is too hard! Go for the skin!"

"Wha—"

Gary's attention flashed back to the struggle on the floor in front of them, and he tightened his fists as the fire lizard suddenly stopped kicking at his squirtle and instead raked sharply clawed fingers across the face of the unsuspecting turtle.

Squirtle recoiled and tumbled backwards, landing flat on its back. It started rocking wildly, kicking and desperately trying to right itself. On instinct, Charmander got up and jumped on top of the other creature, scratching and clawing at its exposed limbs and head. The turtle pulled its head into its shell protectively and started using its short little legs to try and roll the charmander off.

"That's so cheap!" Gary cried out. "It's not even real battling!"

"How a trainer commands their monster is entirely up to them." Professor Oak rebuked. "So long as they don't push their monsters too hard and so long as they know when to call it finished, it's entirely their call."

"What?!" Gary snapped. "Squirtle, tail whip that cheap shot and get up!"

The struggling turtle monster snapped its tightly curled tail, partially unrolling it like a whip to reach the monster on top of him. The end slapped against the charmander's side and drew his attention away from attacking. With the lizard distracted, squirtle managed to push it off and roll over so that all four of its little turtle feet touched the ground again.

"Quick!" Gary called out. "Tackle it before it gets you!"

"Watch out, Charmander!" Charity called out, just in time. The small creature managed to skirt to the side, sending the little squirtle stumbling past him, leaving a perfect opening for charmander to attack from behind. So, the fire lizard did exactly that, running forward and slamming a foot down on squirtle's tail to hold it in place. Squirtle looked over its shoulder in shock, just to receive a viciously clawed swipe to the face that sent the turtle reeling.

Charmander climbed up onto the turtle's belly again and grabbed for the creature's throat. The squirtle opened its mouth and hissed, but now on its back again, it couldn't do much more than that.

"Pokémon are masters at fighting. It's one of the reasons why humans have recruited them for protection. If you learn to read your monsters and know when to give them instruction and when to let them make their own decisions, you will become a very powerful trainer indeed. Take it from a master." The old man winked.

Professor Oak then gestured towards the center of the room as the charmander received another tail whip from the pinned turtle. The lizard was a little more prepared this time, and when the squirtle went to roll Charmander off, Chamander grabbed one of Squirtle's arms with one clawed hand and struck a blinding blow across the poor squirtle's eyes with the other claw.

"It just…seems so cruel to put them through this…" Charity said regretfully as she listened to Gary barking orders at the poor squirtle that now was merely struggling just to stay conscious.

"They will never get stronger without fighting." Professor Oak shook his head gently. "It would be far more cruel to protect them from all battles, and then to venture into a situation where you needed their protection and they were unable to give it. In such a case, both pokémon and trainer could die. Battles such as this are regulated. The monsters may struggle and suffer through some pain, but think of it as a sparring match. Just as humans do when they go through martial arts training, monsters must learn to push past pain and make themselves stronger for it. Don't worry. They'll be fine."

At that moment, squirtle let out a gasping cry of pain and collapsed on the floor. He'd tried to tackle charmander again, and this time succeeded, but as the lizard fell backwards, it kicked its feet up under the turtle's belly and launched the squirtle into one of the lab tables, sending everything crashing down on it.

"Gah! Squirtle, no!"

"That's enough, Gary." Professor Oak stepped in. "It can't take any more. It would be best now if you went to get it taken care of. Why don't you go back home and clean up a little. Then you can head back out."

Gary flashed a hateful glare at the older man, but lifted up the pokéball and called squirtle back.

"Fine. Squirtle, return." He turned and started for the door, pushing past Charity in the process. He paused for a moment, gritting his teeth in anger. "You just wait. Next time it's going to be different. Next time you won't have my grandfather telling you everything to do, so next time, you won't be able to cheat. I'll make you sorry you ever screwed around like that."

With that, Gary stormed out of the lab.

Professor Oak let out a long sigh, lightly rubbing his forehead.

"I'm very sorry." He said after a moment. "Gary is…a little over-zealous and very competitive. He's been that way ever since he was a tot."

Charity looked away.

"He's a little rude too."

"That's my fault. I don't think I spent enough time teaching him his manners." The professor forced a grin. "But never mind that. I'm glad you finally decided to share your name with me."

Stiffening, Charity clenched her fists but didn't make eye contact.

"I didn't do it for you. I…. I don't know why I said anything."

"It doesn't matter." The professor shrugged. "Now listen. I won't always be there to help you. In fact, now that you have your first monster, it's time for you to strike out. That is, if you're still interested in proving your worth as a trainer."

"I have to." The young girl frowned, looking at her feet. "You didn't give me any choice. I have to get stronger, so the King will be willing to listen to me."

"Hm. Yes, that's true. But I just thought you should know that you need to be careful." The researcher looked up at the clock and was shocked to see how much time had already passed. "Well. That's odd…."

"What?" Charity tilted her head, leery but curious.

"Mr. Ketchum still hasn't shown up. That's a shame. It's time for the send-off." The professor sighed another of his long, exasperated sighs. "Well, I guess there's always next year. Ellery!"

"Yes, Professor?"

The dull, quiet voice came from a doorway near the back of the lab, accompanied by equally soft footsteps. Charity looked up and saw a young woman, probably at least five years older than she was, walking across the room. The girl was short—shorter than Charity, but that didn't come as a surprise. Charity was used to being taller than most people. In fact, her height at such a young age had been a cause of concern for her family for quite some time, until finally a doctor assured them that she was simply maturing young.

Continuing her study of the other woman, Charity noted that the girl had black hair streaked with red. He dark purple clothes stood out, even under a white lab coat. She was wearing heavy boots with chains on the sides. All in all, she looked rather intimidating, but her strangely quiet voice and the hesitant nature of her walk made her seem like a frightened child more than some gothic punk.

The girl stopped in front of the professor and looked up at him quietly. The older man put both hands on her shoulders.

"Ellery, I think today I would like to give you a very special opportunity."

The girl raised an eyebrow, but didn't speak.

"The Ketchum boy is very late, and we have a schedule to keep. Everyone is waiting outside. Would you like to take the last monster in his stead? It's a bulbasaur."

Suddenly, the dark-haired girl's eyes went wide.

"B-but Professor, what about my work here? If I participate in the send-off—"

"Your internship can always be put on hold, my dear." The professor grinned broadly. "Besides, you can't expect to be a field researcher if you're stuck in the lab, right? It seems to me that this is a very good chance for you to expand your training."

"Hm." The girl closed her eyes for a moment, then looked over to the platform where the final pokéball rested snuggly. "I…I believe you're right, Professor."

"Wonderful!" The older scientist walked over and swept the ball up off the stand, then handed it to Ellery before she could protest. He closed her hands around it, and nodded towards the door. "The two of you should hurry outside. A good portion of the town is waiting to see you off, and I'm sure my impatient grandson has already flown the coop."

He started ushering both girls towards the door, despite the hesitance of them both. The lab door slid open and bathed them all in warm light as they emerged into fresh air to the sound of a group of people cheering and clapping.

"It's our yearly ceremony!" The professor called out over the noise. "The people of Palette Town truly adore every trainer that leaves here, as they believe that the more trainers who leave from here and become great names in the pokémon world, the more Palette will be recognized for quality leaders. They hope to one day reap the benefits." The professor laughed. "Understandable. Now go on, hurry!" He gave both girls a gentle shove out the door and into the street, where they both stood for a moment, bewildered with the excited crowd all around.

Charmander crept out of the lab from behind Professor Oak and somewhat nervously scanned the scene. He hid behind Professor Oak's leg uncertainly.

"Now, now." The old man said, as Exacalipurr, too, emerged. "Charity is your trainer now. You mustn't be afraid. She will take good care of you, and you must take care of her."

The small fire lizard squeaked uncertainly, but the professor urged it forward. Hurriedly, it scurried to Charity's side, and moved as close to her leg as it possibly could, a little intimidated by all the commotion.

Charity looked down and saw the small monster looking up at her with wide, fearful eyes. Suddenly, she felt an empathetic pain in her chest. Maybe she wasn't alone in this.

"It's okay." She whispered, reaching her hand down to pet the monster's scaly head. "I'm scared too…."

The creature made a raspy gurgle somewhere in the back of its throat, just as the two girls started walking forward. Frightened, Charmander hurried after them.

"I'll try to take care of you…." Charity spoke as they walked slowly. "But I need someone to take care of me, too. This place is…so strange." She suddenly bit her lip, feeling her throat tighten and tears threatening to sting her eyes.

The lizard tilted its head curiously.

"I hope…I hope you don't mind being my…my first choice."

The creature looked straight ahead as they walked the road away from the lab and towards the edge of town. "I think…. I think that's what I'll call you…" She said as the road grew wider and the grassy fields came into view. "Choice. You're my Choice."


	4. Ch 4: The Professor's Aide

_**Tales of the Incarnus:**_

_**Earthborn**_

**~ Chapter 4 ~**

**The Professor's Aide  
**

The sun burned off the cool morning mist and heated the day, baking it to a hot, golden afternoon. The winding road through wide, rolling fields radiated heat. Sparse shade trees dotted the hills, and fewer lined the side of the road, yet despite the sweat and weariness of walking, Charity still noticed the bright pink and blue wildflowers peeking up from the tall grasses. Delightful birdsong and the soft buzz of insectoid monsters hidden in the grass and trees brought her thoughts back to home. How hard it was to believe she wasn't actually there. The sky, bright and blue with a few light, dusty looking clouds bore not even the slightest difference from clouds back home. The air smelled fresh, and the crunch of small stones underfoot was oh so familiar. If it wasn't for Choice walking at her side, she might have thought that everything up till now had been just a dream, and that she was back home, strolling the sun-baked cornfields not far from her house. Maybe if she walked far enough, she'd end up on her own doorstep.

Wondering whether or not her parents even missed her, the young girl sighed and hung her head, watching her shoes strike the ground in slow, harmonious rhythm. She was so used to spending her days out walking that she wasn't even tired yet. Back home she sometimes stayed out all day, coming home only for meals. She missed how her dog would keep in step beside her, and how they'd stalk rabbits in the bushes. Her eyes began to sting, and she looked to her new walking partner. The small lizard walked along, almost toddling. His bright eyes searched the road ahead, but every now and then he looked up at Charity as if to make sure she was still there. Now he looked up at her and noticed the sadness in her eyes. He let out a soft, rattling sound of concern from the back of his throat and flared his small nostrils.

"I'm okay." Charity said to him softly. "Just…homesick."

The monster rumbled as if in sympathy.

"What's the big deal, anyway?" Ellery's voice drifted in the warm breeze. "Lots of kids your age leave home. It's been tradition in Palette Town for years to send the next generation off to become trainers. You have to start training young anyway, you know? Otherwise you'll never catch up or be any good."

Charity glanced forward at her. The woman walked with quiet purpose, leading everyone towards Viridian City. She'd assured that there they'd be able to get some more supplies and recuperate from any unexpected encounters along the way. Ellery warned that they'd probably run into several monsters before they ever got there, and after Charity's experience with the rattata, she wasn't looking forward to that.

"You're not that much older than me," Charity protested, deciding it best not to discuss the fact that her home wasn't even in this world—that she wondered whether or not she'd even see it again. Her heart squeezed tightly at the thought, but she brushed it off, trying to think about the here and now instead. "Don't you feel even a little afraid about leaving? You seemed a little unsure when we left the lab."

Ellery shrugged.

"Not really. Not as much as I was surprised anyway. I never expected to be offered a chance to take a pokémon that I was sure was reserved for that Ketchum kid. I don't mind, though. I helped raise all three of the starters from eggs. It was part of my internship duties. So I guess it feels…fair to me. If anything can be fair."

_Fair. _Now that was a word that Charity felt betrayed by. It wasn't fair that she had no choice in being moved around the country back home. It wasn't fair that she and her brother had been pushed to the background by a new baby, and it definitely wasn't fair that now she was here, against her will and without any way to get back. She frowned slightly. Even the slight fairness that Ellery perceived had been delivered to her for raising the bulbasaur felt like bitter betrayal. Fairness, as if it were a person, turned to look at her and sneered, saying "look at what you're missing."

"Nothing is fair." Charity said finally. "I'm sure the kid who was promised the monster won't think it's very fair that you have it instead."

"No," Ellery shrugged and slowed down a bit so that she and Charity walked side by side. She took out Bulbasaur's pokéball and rolled it in her fingers thoughtfully. "But that's just how it is." Ellery finished dryly.

The shy, timid woman seemed now rather bitter to Charity. In the lab she'd seemed so _small. _The way she talked to the professor and stammered and shied away from the situation seemed out of place with how blunt and unbothered she seemed now.

"I guess." Charity scowled unhappily. "Maybe everything is just how it is, and we have to learn to live with it." A click of her tongue finished off her sentence with disappointment.

"Exactly." Ellery agreed. "Life won't hand you many good opportunities, so it's best to take the ones that come your way and just withstand the storms when they come."

"That's why you took Bulbasaur?"

"That's why. I had to think about it for a moment, because I had always thought my internship would be the biggest and best opportunity I'd get, but this will give me the experience I need to be a field researcher. It's a good thing Professor Oak was looking out for me." Ellery glanced sidelong and up at the taller but younger girl. "Being given a pokémon and allowed to embrace the life of a trainer with Oak's blessing is something that people envy. You'd do well to stop whining about it and be happy."

Whining? Charity took offense and straightened up, slowing down a little and putting her hands on her hips.

"I'm not whining." She retorted. "I just don't understand why I have to be here and why of all people I had to be taken out of my life to come here and do _this._" She threw her arms out, indicating the surrounding fields and endless road ahead. "You don't understand what this is like!"

Ellery's dark brows knit slightly and she seemed mildly annoyed with her travel companion, but she didn't lash out. Instead, she said softly.

"Nobody understands what life is like for anyone but themselves. You don't know what I've been through, and even if I told you, you wouldn't understand how I feel about it. I don't get why you're so mad, but whatever. If that's how you want to be, then fine. But don't mistake this chance as a problem. There are a lot of wiser, more mature people who would have gladly taken your place today at the send-off."

"More mature?" Charity scoffed. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"It means you're acting like a baby." Ellery scolded. "Maybe you're homesick for your mommy and daddy, but everyone has to grow up and learn to take care of themselves someday."

"I'm eleven!" Charity shouted, surprised at herself, but spurred to emotion by her frustration. She felt hot tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. "I don't know what you expect me to do! I want to go home!"

Ellery sighed. "Gary is ten." She shook her head. "Oak's grandson. And usually the children who participate in the send off are ten as well. You're more than old enough to start growing up."

"And what if I want to be a kid and play and not grow up?" Charity hissed angrily as tears rolled down. "What if I'd like the only thing I have to be responsible for to be my homework? What if I don't want to go looking for some Monster King and learn to train pokémon?!"

"Monster King?" Ellery raised an eyebrow. "Well that's an odd thing to go looking for. But if you mean you're after Legendaries, then now is as good a time as any to start. The longer you wait, the less time you have in your life to find them."

"Nevermind." Charity huffed, quickly mopping tears away with the back of her hand. "I don't want to talk about it any more."

A squeak arose from her side, and she glanced down to see Choice looking at her somewhat sadly. Maybe she was imagining it, but his shining eyes seemed filled with concern. The girl reached down at lightly touched his smooth head, but she didn't say any more.

* * *

The afternoon passed by in lazy silence while Charity fumed at her human travel companion and bemoaned her fate in her head. It was impossible to know how many times she repeated "none of this is fair" to herself, but if she had to guess she wouldn't have wanted to know how far off she would have been from the real answer. To her credit, she really tried not to feel miserable, but silent brooding has a way of disproportionately blowing situations beyond the scope of reality. Considering the fantastic changes that occurred to her life over so short a time, blowing them out of proportion made them loom over her like some dark mountain inside her head, darkening even the beautiful sky above. She resented Ellery a little bit for calling her immature. It didn't seem right, especially when she felt completely justified for feeling the way she did. Still, she followed Ellery purposefully, knowing that the young woman could take her at least as far as Viridian City, which was helpful, considering that right now the only things Charity had in the world were the clothes on her back, the things in her pack, and the companions she walked with.

At last the sun began sinking behind the distant hills, setting the sky ablaze and lining the clouds with pink and gold lace. Noises reminiscent of chirping crickets carried across the fields and again made Charity feel that, if she didn't know better, she could still have been in her world. But she did know better, and the sound became very lonesome rising on the cool evening breeze. Just before the sun disappeared entirely, Ellery stopped walking, and Charity came up beside her. The woman gestured to a lonely tree not too far off the path.

"We should take a break." Ellery said simply, stepping foot into the tall grass just off the road.

Charity hesitated. "Are you sure it's safe to go out there in the dark?"

"That's what we have pokémon for." Ellery reminded. "Come on, the tree will provide a little shelter."

Shuffling reluctantly behind, Charity started at the sound of movement in the grass nearby. Excalipurr sensed it too, and swooped in from behind to drive off the potential hidden attacker. Charity had forgotten that he was present, he'd been so quiet the entire day. Whatever was lurking in the grass scurried away in a hurry, and Excalipurr sheathed his sword and walked next to Charity the rest of the way. Ellery sat on a rock under the tree and frowned at them.

"Charmander won't get any stronger if you let that cat do all the fighting."

"Well I don't mind if X protects me."

Excalipurr raised an eyebrow at the nickname, but flicked his tail and shrugged it off.

"Doesn't matter. You want Charmander to get experience don't you?" Ellery scowled. "He won't be able to do anything for you if you don't let him fight."

"Well, X doesn't exactly take orders from me. He does his own thing."

"You should at least ask him to save his strength as a last resort. You need a chance to learn how to handle battles too. It takes time and practice."

Charity sighed and turned to her protector. "Hey….do you mind sorta sitting it out unless I really, really need your help?" She asked the cat in resignation.

He shook his head lightly and took a surprisingly powerful leap that landed him in the overhanging branches of the tree. He sprawled out on a particularly thick branch and yawned.

"I guess he agrees…."

"That's good. Come sit down. We should eat some dinner and get some sleep."

"Sleep?" The idea hadn't even crossed Charity's mind, although at the mention of dinner the idea of eating spurred her stomach to growl. Unhappy as she was, she wasn't yet to the point where she could refuse food. She supposed, grimly, that that was a good sign.

"We have to sleep." Ellery pointed out. "We'll be walking most of the day tomorrow too, and if we don't rest we won't make it."

"How far is Viridian City anyway?" Charity asked in dismay.

"We're about halfway there. Maybe a little more. The trip is faster if you have a bike or a car, or a pokémon that can carry you, but most new trainers take the journey on foot. It's a good dose of reality to prepare them for the road ahead."

"What is the road ahead anyway?" Charity queried.

"Everyone's road is different. The best way to start is to just begin moving and follow where it takes you. Most trainers aim for the big leagues. They collect gym badges and try their hand and facing Indigo Plateau."

"Indigo Plateau?"

"Yeah. It's the height of the pokémon league where the Championships are held." Ellery nodded and started pulling out some snacks for herself. "Other trainers simply try to learn more about pokémon, or they get involved with local contests. Some trainers even become pokémon breeders. Really, you just have to find your niche."

"How will I know when I've found it?" Charity asked, bringing herself to sit at last and lean her back up against the rough bark of the tree. The leaves rustled overhead as the first starts twinkled to life against the deepening purple sky.

"You'll just know. I found my calling as a field researcher, but I couldn't do any real research unless I was sponsored by a lab. After I got out of school, Professor Oak took me in as an intern and told me he'd help me get on my feet. I'm really glad he gave me a chance to start off as a trainer. That's the best field experience you can get."

Charity nodded and set her backpack on her knees, opening it and pulling out water, for which she was desperately thirsty. After drinking a full bottle in a few gulps, she pulled out a protein bar and began snacking on it. It tasted a lot better than it should have. Choice peered inside of the bag and then looked at his master hopefully. Charity realized she didn't have anything to feed him, and broke off a piece of protein bar. She handed it to him and hoped it wouldn't make him sick as the creature gobbled it down in one bite. Ellery watched.

"We can pick up some pokémon food at the mart in Viridian." She said. "We should probably also gather a few potions and antidotes for the road. Pokémon need first aid too."

Charity nodded again, but remained silent, and for the rest of their meager dinner, she stayed that way, still brooding. The air grew chill as the night took over and the glittering stars dotted the deep, hanging ocean of black. Way out here, with no city lights to cloud the view, the sheer number of stars visible to the naked eye overwhelmed the senses. They reached on forever into endless sky, and they twinkled with the same silvery light that Charity was used to seeing back home. It broke her heart. On the distant horizon, the moonrise seemed to perfectly mirror the moon of her world, and again she thought how unfair it was that even these beautiful things should taunt her and remind her of where she belonged and that she couldn't be there. She shivered, haunted by a sudden feeling of loneliness, and she wrapped her arms around herself sleepily. Looking over to the side, she saw Ellery already asleep inside of a sleeping bag. Not lucky enough to have one for herself, Charity tried to fall asleep on the cold, hard ground with nothing to cover her. She sort of wished Excalipurr would come down from the tree and provide some cushion.

A warm light fell across her face, and the young girl opened her eyes and looked up to see her charmander standing over her. The flame on the tip of his tail lapped at the air and let off just enough heat to chase away some of the cold. With a sad smile, Charity reached a hand out and touched his clawed fingers.

"Thank you…" She said, and drifted off to sleep.

Not hours later, she awoke suddenly to a sound that made the hair rise on the back of her neck and a chill of dread creep down her spine. The tree branches rustled overhead noisily, and though her first half-sleeping thought rationalized that Excalipurr just wanted to get more comfortable, the level of noise escalated and gave way to low hoots and haunting chittering sounds. A few branches snapped. Charity's eyes shot open and she rolled onto her back, looking up into the trees. By the light of the high moon, she saw shadows moving about quickly among the branches. They disappeared into the leaves and reappeared in other places. There was no sign of Excalipurr.

A loud hissing _whoop_ and more noise erupted. Branches shook wildly and leaves came fluttering down in a soft, drifting rain. Then something heavy fell out of the tree and landed with a surprising _thump _on Charity's stomach. Fear chased away all sense of sleepiness, and she forced herself almost against her will to look down, just as whatever had fallen began to spread out and move. Long, spindly appendages stretched out across her belly and began tapping against her body like some unnatural piano player. Her eyes caught a glimpse of multiple compound eyes glinting like little black shields. Her skin suddenly exploded into a crawl of horror. A giant spider, the size of an open umbrella lay on top of her, patting her with its huge, hairy mouthparts.

Charity let out a scream and leaped to her feet. The large arachnid clung to her with twitching, hairy legs. She swatted at it in a panic, and recoiled when she felt her hands strike its solid, furred body with a _thump_. Both Choice and Ellery woke up instantly. In the pale moonlight, fangs as long as Charity's hand glistened and moved around unnervingly. She screamed again.

"Don't move!" Ellery hissed, trying to stay calm as she tried to gather her bearings. "It's just a spinarak. It won't bite you unless you panic!"

"Please just get it off." Charity squeaked hoarsely as tears began flowing.

Choice timidly crept forward, towards his master, and reached up a little claw to pull on the monster's leg. Suddenly, the large spider dropped off to the ground and pounced on the helpful charmander. Choice cried out, and scratched at the large arachnid with frightened fervor. Shocked and relieved to have been rescued, but horrified that now Choice was under attack, Charity stepped forward as if meaning to kick the spider away. Ellery called out.

"No! Get back! He'll be okay!"

Charity looked doubtfully through the night at Ellery's shadow-obscured face.

"He'll be hurt! I have to help!"

"Look out!"

Charity looked up just in time to see a large black shadow dive out of the tree and scream towards her head. Letting out a surprised shriek, the girl jumped backwards and ducked low, narrowly avoiding painful impact. The shadow collided with the spinarak and spread out, at once revealing large wings. At once, Charity ran to Ellery's side and whirled to watch the struggle unfold. Only by the light of Choice's fire could either girl see anything at all. A flurry of legs, feathers, and claws tumbled violently on the ground. The spinarak clicked its mouthparts and rattled its legs, trying to gain a substantial hold on both of the foes that sandwiched it. But with the shadowy bird on top and the lizard underneath, both tearing at its hide, the arachnid pokémon didn't stand much of a chance. The bird hunched over, pinning Spinarak with sharp talons. It leaned forward into the light of Choice's fire, and Charity stared at the broad, owlish face. It began tearing mercilessly at Spinarak with its short, hooked beak while Choice cut into the spider's soft underbelly with sharp claws. The spider's movements fluttered to a stop, and Choice crawled out from underneath with tremendous struggle. The owl monster continued tearing away at the furry flesh of its victim. Charity's face curled in disgust.

"The hoothoot must have been after dinner." Ellery murmured, eyes fixed on the attack.

"I think so…." Charity said grimly. "I heard a lot of noise up in the tree before the spinarak fell out….."

She looked down at Choice, who now faced the owl pokémon with a wide, defensive stance. The bird seemed only mildly perturbed, and stopped plucking at its prey long enough to spread its wings and let out a frightening ghost of a warning call. Before Charity could say anything more, the hoothoot launched forward, protecting its kill and grabbing Choice in its talons in defense of its prize. Choice cried out in pain.

"Charity, you have to encourage him to fight." Ellery warned. "He's still young, and he doesn't know how to handle himself very well."

Swallowing hard, Charity nodded. She wanted to charge in and try to chase the bird away, but Ellery clung tightly to her arm, preventing any rash actions.

"Choice, you have to fight!" Charity called out. "Its feathers are thick, try to go for the face! Scratch it!"

Choice struggled to free his little arms from the vice grip of his attacker, and managed to wrench one free. He thrashed about, trying to get the other loose, but when he couldn't and the bird leaned down to peck at him the way it had the spinarak, Choice raked his claws across the monster's wide eyes. The hoothoot let out a strange, owlish howl and hopped backwards in surprise and pain. Choice jumped up, and ran towards it. The owl monster swept a wide wing at him and knocked him backwards, sending him tumbling into tall grass near the base of the tree. The hoothoot flew back to the spinarak and gathered it up in its claws.

Suddenly, a streak of orange light leaped from the grass and landed on the back of the owl. The hoothoot faltered and fluttered uselessly across the ground, until it turned to attack Choice again and only received another scathing gouge across the face. Choice jumped on it and pinned it to the ground, but the hoothoot kicked with its talons and pushed the charmander away. In a flurry of feathers, the owl pokémon scuttled back to the fallen spinarak and collected it quickly. Choice ran at Hoothoot, but not fast enough. The owl took to the air and disappeared into the night.

Charity's shoulders slumped in relief, and she moved quickly to Choice and knelt down to inspect him. In the firelight from his tail, she could see deep cuts in his smooth skin, but he greeted her with enthusiasm. Like a toddler, he lifted his arms up to her, and she scooped him up and hugged him.

"Thanks for helping me." Charity whispered. "I'm sorry you got hurt…."

Choice squeaked his understanding.

With the spinarak and hoothoot gone, the group settled back down for the night, the rest of which remained still and silent with no further major disturbances. Only the wind blew threw the grass and rustled overhead leaves. Even so, Charity couldn't fall asleep again.

* * *

The following morning dawned overcast and damp. The smell of rain hung in the air, and a thick, moist breeze stirred dew-blanketed grass. Charity moaned and rolled onto her back. Her hair clung uncomfortably to her face, and she pushed it back unhappily. Tired from lack of sleep and miserable with grief and longing for her bed and her room back home, she sat up and looked around. Ellery was still asleep, but she herself couldn't bear to stay still anymore. She'd pretended rest enough through the night that now all Charity wanted was to get up and move around. She looked to her side, where Choice snuggled close. Her gaze softened with pity at the sight of the scratches on his small body. She touched his head, and then stood up slowly.

From the tall grass nearby, a gray figure emerged, silvery as the hazy sky. Charity crossed her arms over her chest.

"Where were you?" She snapped.

Exacalipurr approached her and looked down at her in quiet regard. He then turned and gestured at the fields all around them meaningfully, and looked back at her calmly.

"Oh, out there. And just what were you _doing _when you could have been here, helping us?"

Excalipurr patted the sword hanging at his side in indication.

Charity glared. "You mean to tell me you were keeping watch or something?"

The cat nodded.

"Well while you were scouring the hillsides, you missed out on the fight here. We were attacked in the middle of the night by a huge spider and an angry owl! Some watchman!"

The swordscat shrugged and gestured to Choice, who was now up and walking over to stand beside Charity. The girl grunted, remembering how she'd asked Excalipurr to let Choice have some battles.

"Fine." She grunted. "Never mind I said anything."

"What's all the noise?" Ellery's voice muttered from the ground.

Charity frowned and bent down to collect her bag. "Just getting ready for the day, that's all." Ellery sat up and yawned, then burst out laughing. Charity scowled. "What's so funny?"

"Your hair is all messed up." Ellery laughed.

Self-conscious, Charity's hand went to her ponytail. The hairband had slid so far down that her long, thick locks hung limp against her spine. More than a few disastrous brown curls had escaped the hold of the tie, and now frizzed out in numerous unflattering directions. A few still clung to Charity's face and neck, too damp to hang lightly with the rest of her hair. The girl turn red and whipped the band from her hair, sweeping the knotted mess into a tighter, if not still sloppy, pony. At least it was under control.

"Well yours isn't any better!" Charity shouted, though her voice cracked with her own embarrassment.

"Probably not." Ellery's laughter faded and she ran her hands through her hair to smooth it. Charity watched enviously as the young woman got her hair under control without much effort at all. Ellery shrugged. "I guess we both need hairbrushes."

Charity slung her backpack over her shoulders and frowned. "What we need is to get out of here." She pushed her glasses up on her nose, realizing that she'd fallen asleep wearing them.

"Yeah." Ellery agreed, getting up and gathering her things. "I suppose if we don't leave now, we won't get to Viridian very quickly now, will we?" She looked up at the sky. "And it looks like it might rain. Maybe you should call Choice back to his pokéball. You don't want him to get wet. If the fire on his tail goes out, he'll die."

Charity's eyes went wide. "H-he will?"

"Yeah. Best to keep him safe at least until the storm is past."

"Is there anything else I don't know about charmanders?"

"I don't know." Ellery raised an eyebrow. "How am I supposed to know what you know and what you don't? Don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll be fine."

Just to be sure, before they left, Charity pulled Choice's pokéball out of her backpack and held the ball out, per the instructions of Ellery. A beam of red light shot out from button latch at the opening of the ball, and it snatched Choice up in it, morphing his body into an amorphous form of light that rapidly sucked back inside of the tiny object in Charity's palm. The girl eyed the ball in her hand warily, as her mind told her that it shouldn't have been possible for anything bigger than a small orange to fit inside of the pokéball. Not to mention the power of the laser that pulled her monster in. Everything she'd ever known had already been challenged, so with only minor effort she shrugged it off and accepted it as the way things were.

The rest of the day drifted by in waves. For awhile, Charity managed to avoid thinking about anything but the end of the road ahead, but frequently her sadness returned with vengeance whenever she saw anything that reminded her of home. By now knowing that Ellery didn't want to hear about it, she tried to find other things to talk about, but most of it was mundane, like the weather and how nice it would have been to take a shower or change clothes or sit at a table and have a good meal aside from protein bars. Ellery grunted that she needed to stop whining and just accept the situation for what it was.

Charity and Ellery walked side by side in that fashion for hours, with Excalipurr casing the grass at the roadside. Every now and then he frightened a rattata out of hiding or flushed a pidgey into the sky in a spray of brown feathers. Only if the frightened monsters happened across the path did Charity and Ellery call on their monsters to fight. Charity noticed how Ellery seemed to command Bulbasaur smoothly, without hesitation or fear, and she could only wish she had that sort of understanding of Choice. Ellery commented that she'd learn. Charity wasn't so sure.

* * *

The open plains and rolling hills gave way to dense patches of shade trees overhanging thick grass and the path. Numerous pidgey flew from treetop to treetop, crying out with warbling, cooing songs to potential mates. For a long while, the horizon showed no sign of any city, instead exulting far-away forested hills and even more distant purple mountains fading into the clouds. Rain never came that day, although the air filled with a fine, tickling sort of mist.

Now, Charity and Ellery crested a steep hill, and at the top, they paused. The cityscape of Viridian unfolded below them, a surprise pop-up book of civilization amid the endless green. Silver in the afternoon haze, it stretched out in a low valley and braided itself between a sparkling stream that flowed from somewhere beyond its safe little niche. Just a couple more hours and they would be there. The sparse sunlight that occasionally peeked through the clouds caught on windows and reflected off in white flashes, making the city sparkle like chunks of pure quartz. It was comforting to see specks of people moving about way down there, but also somewhat painful. This city wasn't home, no matter how much it resembled cities where Charity came from. Suddenly, she wished for more sympathetic company, and pursed her lips tightly when they started quivering. Ellery happened to notice her expression, and they both frowned at each other, but didn't say anything. They walked in silence for a few awkward minutes. Then, Ellery spoke up.

"Are you mad at me or something?" She meant to sound less demanding.

"No." Charity lied tersely.

"Because if you are, you're just being ridiculous."

Charity felt her blood rise to a boil, and hot tears stung behind her lids, but she tightened her mouth into a line and just grunted. Seemingly satisfied, Ellery relaxed a little, but Charity felt hopelessly trapped. It took a little while, but finally unable to hide her frustration anymore, Charity grumbled.

"You were so quiet and you seemed so sweet back at Oak's lab. Why are you so mean now?"

"Mean?" Ellery snorted in offense, "I'm realistic."

"I thought you were shy and that we'd be able to talk to each other, but I guess not."

"You mean you wanted somebody to listen to you whine."

Charity stamped her foot mid-step. Ellery kept walking, and Charity scrambled to follow, stomping the whole way.

"I wanted someone to relate to! I thought you were timid and afraid of the journey the professor was making you go on! I thought we could help each other!"

"Like I said before, timid, no. Surprised, yes. And I deferred to the professor cautiously out of respect and admiration for him. He's my mentor! He's given me opportunities that no-one else would. He's the whole reason why I have any future at all! He—" She cut herself off as she realized the adulation in her voice now consumed any trace left of annoyance. Embarrassed, she looked away. "He's a good man…and I'm tired of hearing you gripe about him like he's set you on some path of self-destruction. He only ever takes care of his charges….You shouldn't be mad at him for whatever you're going through."

Though a little surprised by Ellery's passion, Charity managed to find words. "You talk about him as though you _like _him or something."

"Of course I do. Everyone does. He's kind and personable, friendly and warm. He helps anyone that he can—"

"No I mean you talk about him like you have a crush on him."

"W-no!" Ellery jumped, with a little too much denial in her voice.

Charity frowned. "He's way old. And you say you're realistic? Come on…."

"Look, he's not old—"

"Well he's way older than you."

"—And it doesn't matter anyway, because he'd never look at me as anything more than one of his students." Ellery sighed her disappointment.

Charity folded her arms over her chest victoriously. "I think the real reason you didn't want to leave was that you just didn't want to leave him behind. You were maybe a little surprised, but I could tell you didn't want to go. I thought you were afraid at first, but it's obvious you just were afraid to leave him because _you _knew it was goodbye to the professor." The girl glared. "So don't talk to me about being dramatic. I'm just homesick."

"_Why _are you homesick?!" Ellery snapped, cornered and wanting to turn the argument around.

"Because I'm just a kid! Where I come from, kids don't leave home! I'm not old enough to be on my own and take care of myself! I don't know how to cook, or make money, or drive, or anything!"

"It sounds like where you're from, kids are spoiled brats who have everything handed to them. I didn't even know there was a place like that."

"I'm not a spoiled brat!" Charity yelled. "Kids aren't supposed to have to take care of themselves! They're supposed to play and have fun and not have to worry about anything because their parents are there for them! We're not old enough to fend for ourselves! We're not old enough to make big decisions! We're not old enough to _leave _our _families_!"

Ellery's expression became grim and almost flat. "Children are just as capable of taking care of themselves as adults are. Once you've developed the ability to walk, talk, and use your fine motor skills and once you know what food is, you can take care of yourself if you have to. The only thing separating children from adults is experience. But how can you expect to gain any experience and _grow up _if you stay at home, living with your parents and letting them provide everything for you?"

Charity stared in shock. "That's just how it is! How it's supposed to be!"

"No." Ellery said, firmly, stopping in the road and grabbing Charity's shoulders. She forcefully turned the girl to face her. "I don't know where you come from, but every place I've ever been sets their children on the path to success between the ages of ten and twelve. Whether they decide to become trainers, breeders, scientists, you name it; they pick their profession and start out on the road. Kids can't become adults until they head out on their own. Age doesn't matter. It's all in experience."

"That's not fair…" Charity said. "Why would you take their lives and their fun away from them?"

"It's not taking anything away. It's giving them the whole world. You see, you _are_ a spoiled brat. Tucked away in some room of your house, wanting everyone to just give you everything so that you can run around and do nothing."

"I never did _nothing_. I went to school!"

"School? Okay then, what were you going for?"

"G-going for?"

"What were you studying to be?"

"I was…just going to school. You know, taking the classes…" Charity pouted. "I don't know what you mean."

"So you didn't even have a direction? What good is that? You won't even remember anything if you don't have any real direction." Ellery rolled her eyes and started walking again.

Charity fell into silence, and couldn't find it in herself to speak with Ellery for the rest of the way. Anger burned inside of her, tearing at her heart and sending the ashes into her stomach, where they gathered and solidified into an uncomfortable rock. She knew her parents had sheltered her. Homeschooled for the longest time, she experienced terrible culture shock when she finally went to a public school. She'd wanted to go back home right away and finish the rest of the year there. The way Ellery talked, it sounded like that was bad. But to her it was life, and she realized just how much she loved her parents. Somehow, the idea of being pushed to the side by her new baby sister didn't seem so bad now. At least she'd still had a home and a place to belong. Here she had no one and no where to go. Right now she followed Ellery simply because she was lost, but Ellery was right, she had no direction. Terror gripped her and constricted her chest. Bitter tears stung her eyes, but she fought back sobs. Unless she found a way to impress the monster king, like the professor had suggested, she might never get home, never see her family again. Unfortunately, she didn't even know where to begin. She had to learn to be a trainer, she reminded herself, but even with that as her guiding light, she felt stranded in an ocean, looking up at constellations she didn't recognize or understand.

* * *

As the downward-sloping road entered the city, it began splitting up into different avenues. Sidewalks were born, and lined the streets in front of quaint little houses that showed signs of age. All around them, life hummed in simple routine. Charity watched faces longingly, wishing for consistency of her own. She envied families she saw walking down the street or working diligently in carefully manicured yards. Despite the age of the buildings, everything bore a kind of rare dignity, as if the houses themselves aged gracefully and wore it with pride.

The duo crossed a road after watching a few cars pass—they looked mysteriously like cars in Charity's experience, and she wondered vaguely, how that could be—and they turned along the sidewalk towards a convenience store on the corner of the block. The brightly colored sign stretched all across the front of the small building advertised a Pokémart carrying "food, medicine, mail, etc." Charity wondered what the etcetera was. They cut across the nearly empty parking lot and stepped past a row of full bike racks. Reaching out for the push bar across the front of the glass door, Ellery stopped and had to step back to let someone out.

A smiling, recognizable face looked down on them with surprise and drew them to the side, out of the walkway. Charity knew him from the lab, had seen his lightly freckled skin and cherub-curled red hair. One of Professor Oak's aides, Charity even felt his name bouncing around somewhere in her head, but she couldn't quite catch it.

"Jonathan!—" Ah yes, that was it. "—What are you doing here?"

"Hey El." The man's forest green eyes sparkled as he smiled, and Charity found herself wondering how on earth Ellery could have fallen for the old professor when this young man was around. "Actually, you have really good timing. Now I don't have to go looking for you two."

"Looking for us?" Charity asked, curious but uncertain.

"Yes, I flew here from Palette Town with Fearow to head you guys off. Professor Oak forgot to give you two something."

"Really?" Ellery sounded a little too hopeful. "We—we have to go back?"

"Haha, no." Jonathan shook his head. "The Prof. wouldn't make you do that long journey on foot. He had a package delivered to the mart here in Viridian, and wanted me to go pick it up for him anyway, so he gave me what he meant to give you and told me to hunt you guys down."

"Oh…."

"Good thing you young ladies were easy to find." Jonathan took a pack off of his back and zipped it open, digging around for a moment. He pulled out two shining objects. "Here they are." He handed one to each of the girls.

"A Pokédex…." Ellery sighed a bit dramatically. "Thanks…."

"You're welcome." Jonathan tilted his head curiously and glanced at Charity as the girl turned the object over and over in her hands.

"What does it do?" Charity asked, confused. She flipped it open like an electronic booklet and saw a screen and a few buttons, and a small keypad.

"I'm glad you asked." Jonathan beamed. "The Pokédex is an electronic encyclopedia and field recording device by Professor Oak's own design. It holds information about every known pokémon in the world and enables you to view each entry whenever you encounter a pokémon you've never seen before. You'll also be able to record information about undiscovered pokémon. There's a built-in camera that both serves to identify known pokémon and take and record pictures of unknown monsters. For monsters not previously seen, you can type any information you observe and send it back to the professor for analysis. You see, the professor's lifelong dream has been to create an encyclopedia of every pokémon ever to exist. It takes time, and he's a busy man, so he sends this with all of his new trainers to help him. He always gives out good prizes to the trainers who can record the most new information.

"Plus, it's just plain useful. If ever you run into something you don't know what it is, just flip open the Pokédex and power it up. In seconds it will capture an image of the pokémon you've come across and tell you what's known about it."

"Wow…." Charity gently closed the object and slipped it into her backpack. "It sounds expensive."

"Oh don't worry about it." Jonathan laughed. "The professor does this for all of his send-off trainers. So make sure you do him proud and gather as much data as you can. That's all the payment he needs in return." Charity and Ellery both nodded, and Jonathan continued. "Oh! I almost forgot. We need to get you girls your trainer cards."

"Trainer cards?" Charity blinked.

"Legal identification. It shows your name, age, photo, and basically that you're a trainer. You'll need it to be a part of the Indigo League—or any league for that matter. Plus it's an acceptable form of ID when you go travelling by bus, boat, train, or plane. And if there's an emergency, it helps authorities know who you are. Here, I'll walk you two to the station."

Jonathan turned and walked across the parking lot to the sidewalk. The girls followed diligently and stayed close at his side as they strolled the roads deeper into the city. Charity looked around constantly, taking everything in. again, she found herself wondering how this place—so much like her world—could be so distant and so isolated from everything she's ever known. It wasn't the last time she'd feel so at home and yet so out of place.

The tidy, tree-lined roads wound through peaceful urban houses and townhomes with the same old-but-well-kept charm that welcomed visitors into the city. A few cars drove past, but most of the vehicles passing through the streets were bicycles, and many people walked around on foot. Passing by the last residential block and moving north to the more commercial area of town, large buildings peeked out from among the tall, full trees. They passed what looked like a hospital, and moved westward, past a charming schoolhouse built from logs and bricks. The bright green roof made it blend into the cultivated trees along the sidewalk.

"I'm going to be holding a seminar here tonight." Jonathan gestured to the building. "I'd be honored if you two showed up. It's free to registered trainers. I have to return to Palette Town to deliver the professor's package, but I'll be back this evening."

Charity looked up along the wooden steps leading to the wide front porch of the building, past the circular drive that allowed busses to stop there and drop of kids. It looked like a nice place, and even though she wasn't so sure she'd be able to enjoy a seminar, the prospect of sitting in a comfortable chair for awhile really sounded good. They passed the building, and went across the road to a smaller structure that looked rather official. Even though it was only one story, its stately white exterior and columns in front made it look like the government built it. They stepped up under the shaded entryway and stopped there.

"This is the place." Jonathan said happily. "All you have to do is go in and fill out the forms they give you. Then you need to hand then the papers confirming your age and birth city, and finally the papers signed by Professor Oak saying you've received a proper send-off. They require that or a certificate of graduation from a trainer's school."

Charity froze. "But I don't have any paperwork."

"It's okay." Jonathan once again reached into his backpack. "These are the send-off papers signed by the Prof. for each of you." He handed them out. "And Charity, Professor Oak gave me these to give you." He handed the papers over with a brief explanation. "He's claiming responsibility for you as your guardian. Don't ask me how he managed that, because the legal process usually takes time, but everything's there."

Charity looked over the papers and scrutinized the print. Sure enough, her full name was printed at the top with her exact birth date and the names of her parents. However, instead of her birth city, it placed her current city of residence in Palette Town and named Professor Samuel Oak as her guardian. She traced her fingers longingly over the names of her real parents and felt a mixture of grief and anger rising up inside of her. The professor had some nerve, doing all of this. But she knew there was no way that she could do anything to change it now. Miserably, she swallowed her heart as it rose in her throat and tried to battle tears. She had to get her trainer's license and go along with whatever crazy plan she had to in order to become a trainer worthy of the Monster King's attention. Then maybe, just maybe, she could get home and leave all of this nonsense behind.

As she stepped inside and smelled the cold, musty scent of air conditioning and stacks of paper, she set one foot after the other on the gray and white-tiled floor. She looked at dozens of faces filling the crowded waiting room in dull orange chairs, boredly staring at the walls, the clock, their hands, and suddenly she felt more alone than she ever had. These people all knew what they were getting into and wanted to do it. She was here because she had to be, and it was her only hope of ever seeing her family again. Slowly, methodically, her numb legs and heavy feet carried her to the front desk, where she joined a line of waiting trainers-to-be. When they finally got to her, the woman at the counter snapped gum and had to get her attention with a throaty grunt.

"Name and paperwork." The woman held out her hand.

Unaware of anything else going on around her anymore, Charity held out her hand and turned over the papers Jonathan had given her. She hadn't even noticed when the young man had left, even though he had said goodbye and that he'd see them later at the schoolhouse. The receptionist took the papers and flipped through them, checking them over.

"Name please." She said again, exasperated.

"Charity." She started, and then repeated her name in full before adding a dry, suffocated sounding, "From Palette Town."


End file.
